


Facts of Other Lives

by SHSL_ex_SOLDIER



Series: Naegiri [2]
Category: Dangan Ronpa, Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types
Genre: Despair AU, F/M, Mastermind AU, Non-Despair AU, Pre-Despair AU, Suffering, alternate au, but mostly tragedy, prepare to get your heart ripped sometimes, there's this one or two which are happy though
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-18
Updated: 2016-04-29
Packaged: 2018-06-03 00:33:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 27,644
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6589501
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SHSL_ex_SOLDIER/pseuds/SHSL_ex_SOLDIER
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Because the only absolute things in life were facts. And they're only ever absolute in the universe in which they're true."<br/>A multi-chapter fic that will be set in different AUs. Focus will be on the friendship between Kirigiri and Naegi even through different universes.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Not Much Skin

**Author's Note:**

> "Naegi's hands were ugly… because I made them like that."  
> Set post-game in a universe where they're fighting against despair.  
> Written in Kirigiri's POV.

~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~

_It was a small price to pay for survival. So then why do I feel like it cost more?_

We were trapped in a collapsing building. There wasn't a statement that would more accurately describe our predicament. In mere minutes, the building was falling into ruins. However, this was not the time nor the place to panic. At the moment, I cannot pinpoint the source but I can only assume that our coordinates were leaked. Despair was now claiming us. More and more of its heretics were barging in and were imprinting on everything whatever meaning of despair each had. They were thorough for a chaotic amalgam of people. And it was quite unfortunate that I thought of this but I could only believe in facts.

_All I could see were humans but no humanity._

But it was also for this fact that I knew that I just had to do it.

"I'll handle the data." I calmly announced and I broke into a run shortly after.

Footsteps followed me, looking back, it was my partner running out of breath. I expected no less from him to pursue me. "No way! That's too dangerous!"

"My life is not worth more than the lives of humanity." I simply stated.

He sighed or at least did something akin to one can possibly do while running. "I can't talk you out of this, right?"

"I'm certain that it would prove fruitless." I answered.

"Alright." He said more to himself than to me, then he quickly matched my pace of running just so we could make eye contact. "Up until now, Kirigiri has always made the right decisions. Because unlike you, I don't really think things through. I've made up my mind too. I'm coming with you."

"That's not necessary. I can take care of myself." I was not weak nor am I the type who needed protection.

"But I want to. That's because we're friends." He grinned. "Friends stay by each other's sides."

He reached out his hand toward me. And I did what any other person would do.

I gave him a high five.

* * *

 

_There was only the two of us in the room._

Thankfully, we were able to detect the intruders early so the top floors were still unaffected. We were fast and lucky enough to reach the Data Room without any conflicts. It would seem that everyone else in the floors we've passed through have already evacuated. It may be better this way since we could lessen the number of casualties.

Our goal was to save all the data in an encrypted storage device and erase all of its traces in the database. Only two persons know how to handle the data system and one person just so happened to be out on the job. I, being the other person, had taken this role while Naegi was to back me up. It would only take ten minutes. Ten grueling minutes _too long_. And while I was not the SHSL Programmer of our batch, I have tediously memorized all the necessary commands and contingency plans in regards to our computer network. For the whole duration, I would do continuous precise coding. I could only place my faith in Naegi that he could protect the both of us the whole time.

_I should have known that I was asking too much._

With the override key inserted, I immediately went to work. Naegi had electronically locked the doors and jammed them with objects as well. He quickly went to working on a barricade and collecting whatever he could use for defending.

We expected the despair to come barging in on us any minute now but the last thing we expected was them ignoring the doors.

And come from the walls.

* * *

_Being robbed of sight was a blessing and a curse._

All of my concentration was channeled into encoding so I zoned out of the battlefield. There were the occasional shouts and grunts which were sometimes Naegi's and sometimes someone else's. Explosions were far off and I could only assume that they were grenades tossed back to them. Particles of dust were scattered everywhere. Wood snapped and splinters flew all over. Metal clanged as they miss their targets. And when they did not miss, the sounds were honestly unpleasant.

Any blunt object struck upon the human body sounded awful with a thud. Even more displeasing was the sound of bones breaking. There were the other types of objects which came into contact with skin like those that cut and slice. And then there were the finer things in life such as shrapnel embedding themselves into bodies. It was not humanly possible to hear all of that while encoding but the aftermath was crisp and clear. The screams muffled by masks were evidences enough. They all sounded the same. Pain.

Everyone in our organization was trained for this. Even Naegi. So a portion of my mind is at ease while he was out there. And while some of us were better than others, we could only be assigned to a branch and participate in actual operations when deemed prepared enough. Fighting skills were one of the basics: both defensive and offensive. But there were things in life that the human body could never champion over.

Things such as guns which were being fired in the room.

Even so, I carried on with my task undisturbed. Some may find it impossible to not feel threatened in this situation but that was not the case for me. I would not go so far as to say that I was at peace but it was the closest feeling to it given the situation. In truth, I was very much afraid. But fear would only hinder me and Naegi's efforts would have been all in vain. Fear was not an option.

_Despair was not an option._

* * *

_Getting too comfortable led to my downfall._

Nine minutes into the job and the noises died down half a minute ago. It was going more smoothly than expected but this was based on the assumption that Naegi was holding well on his own. That was a grave mistake. If only I had been the slightest bit considerate of him then I should have dodged the moment that I recognized something of a metallic yellow bat coming right at me at a great speed.

Naegi took the hit for me.

No, it would be more accurate to say that he rushed in alarmed by my assailant and narrowly caught the attack with his two hands. Droplets sprayed over my face. I had recklessly assumed it was blood.

_It would have been better if it really was his blood._

There was just something odd about the masked assailant. Maybe it was the way he was overpowering Naegi with just _one hand_ holding the bat. Or was it the way that the bat glistened under the room's lights? _Glistened?_

Upon further examination, I noticed that the bat was _wet_. It was covered with a thin colorless sheen.

But that was not entirely correct. The liquid languidly dripped only to reveal a horrendous fact of life.

The bat was metallic _silver._

There were only a number of translucent yellow liquids that it could possibly have been. And the assailant's other hand was still suspiciously out of my field of vision. Out of the corner of my eyes, something glistened aside from the bat. A shout was about to escape my lips but it never did.

_Naegi's scream had beat me to it._

* * *

_It was the most frightening sound I've heard._

Light travels faster than sound but even having seen the bat burst and his hands into flames had not prepared me for the spine-chilling scream that ripped through his throat.

For a moment, I froze.

_In the next, I abandoned my duty and went to assist him. Sliding, I kicked the assailant and knocked him off his feet. The bat flung to underneath a desk. I took it and gave him back what was his._

_Again. Again and again._

_To his torso. To his limbs. To his face._

_To his hands._

_Again. Again and again._

A part of me wanted that to have happened.

It never did. For a moment, I froze. In the next, I continued where I left off.

Naegi's life was not worth more than the lives of humanity.

_And yet, my eyes would still sometimes wander offscreen._

* * *

"It's done. Let's go." I instinctively tried to grab his hand but thought otherwise.

I don't think he heard me either. He was panting heavily with this lost look in his eyes. He managed to incapacitate the assailant moments before I finished. But not without effort. The trauma obviously took a toll on his body and with the piled stress from previously fighting against the all the other attackers, he looked like was about to collapse with the building.

Hesitantly, I took hold of the burnt ends of one of his sleeves and gave it a light tug. I was careful not to cause him any further discomfort. I knew all too well the pain that he's been through and I understood that we did not have the resources nor the time to give him first aid. As much as I wanted him to rest and to treat him, we had to keep moving.

I whispered. "Stay with me, Naegi." _Stay by my side._

His body was on auto-pilot mode. His steps were heavier than it should have been and it felt like I was almost dragging him. His mind was clearly not in the greatest of conditions but the adrenaline in him and his instincts made it easier for him to run while I led him around.

_Running did not require the use of his throbbing red and severely burnt hands._

His meek voice almost startled me. It sounded so weak, so _vulnerable._ "Did we do it? No, don't answer that. We're going out so that means that of course, we did it." He chuckled softly. It seemed that he was at least making some sense of his surroundings.

_Even when delusional, he was as optimistic as ever._

"We made the right decision. I'm so happy that I came with you. Aren't you glad too?"

I never replied. I never looked back. And I would like to think that I never cried.

After that, I aggressively protected my friend.

* * *

_I didn't think there would be scars that I would hate more than mine._

Affected members of the assault on the main building were relocated to our different branches. Security was augmented the following days and everyone was instructed to stay alert. It was a tough blow on our organization but we were recovering. That's because we had _hope_ on our side. As long as each of us carried that with us, we could overcome any hurdle such as this event.

After our narrow escape, Naegi immediately received medical attention. I never saw him again after. It has been weeks since then. It would be inaccurate to say that I did not try.

I did. A lot of times.

And I was rejected each and every time.

"There's no point in coming here. Go back."

It was only natural that I would not be the only who wished to see him. It was also only natural that even Togami would be here. However, I had somewhat half-expected that my presence was unwanted but Togami said it rather bluntly. Then again, blunt was not the right word. His tongue was _sharp,_ inconsiderate of feelings, and it minced whatever self-esteem one may have. Sadly enough, I have grown accustomed to this.

"I didn't know he can't accept visitors."

"Oh, visitors are allowed." Then he looked down on me like he would on anyone else. "It's just _you_ he can't stand."

I calculated the odds that this was true. They were pretty unfavorable to me.

"I see. Very well, I shall take my leave." With that, I left for that day.

Only to come back the next day.

"He can't see you today, either."

And the next.

"Try your luck another day."

And the next.

"It's a bit too soon for you to come back again."

And the next.

"You're annoying. Go home."

And the next.

"Oh? Is your talent now the SHSL Persistent?"

Again and again.

"I thought I made it clear that I was asked to tell you to not bother coming here for a while."

Even I had to accept Togami's authority on this but I still checked every day.

* * *

_I wanted to hold his hands._

The urge came to me with such intensity that it was bordering obsession. I could not apologize enough for what I have caused him nor will he accept it. Knowing him, he would merely dismiss it as his _choice_. That was what differentiated him from me. What happened was a _situation_.

_It was a convenient truth._

Today also happened to be a convenient day.

"I can only stand to be in the same room with _at most_ one commoner." He looked not the least bit interested in the affairs. Even if he was interested, he knew his boundaries.

"Thank you." I said. He has been dutifully waiting for me every day to tell me that Naegi was off limits. This act of may be the most considerate thing I'll ever see from him and he would never admit it.

"Do what you want." And with that, Togami quickly dismissed himself from his role and took off. The tapping of his pristine shoes soon faded away.

It was hard to admit it but Togami proved to be a friend as well.

* * *

_His hands were gone._

They were buried deeply underneath his blanket. That was to be expected. Even I took caution to not reveal mine. It's been weeks since I've last seen him and I was filled with relief. It would seem that all the other wounds of his were not that grave and some have already healed. But even I already knew this. Had it been otherwise then Togami would have let me in this room much sooner. So for what purpose was I here?

For comfort? Maybe. For whom then? For Naegi or for myself?

I did not want him to experience what I did. I wanted to at least make this more comfortable for him. It would be a difficult thing to adjust to at first but he would learn in time just as I have.

_Where he lost his hands, I'll lend him mine._

"Kirigiri! I haven't seen you in a while. I'm glad that you're doing okay." He smiled easily. His smile was a mix of joy and relief. Leave it to Naegi to be worried about someone else when he himself was doing worse.

"Are you mad?"

"Huh?"

I blinked. "Sorry, that was an improper greeting." Composing myself, I thought of what was appropriate to say. "I too am relieved that you're doing well."

"Yeah, I think I can actually get back to work now." He then shook his head. "Enough about me. What were you saying about me being mad?"

"No, it was only a theory. You've been rather… _distant_ with me these past _weeks._ " I calmly spoke. "I thought that since I had a similar experience before, I could offer the most practical advices."

There was so much more that I could have told him but I restrained myself. Getting emotional was not in me. As for Naegi, he looked like he was in deep thought. He was analyzing things as he would usually do when something did not seem right. Then he spoke.

"I think there was a misunderstanding." He nodded to himself. "And his name is Togami."

I could only listen to what he had to say.

"Knowing him, he probably did what I asked of him only in Togami-vocabulary which isn't all that nice to hear. I couldn't ask anyone else though since he was the only person available." Tentatively, he asked. "Did you think that I didn't want to see you?"

I blinked. "The possibility came into mind."

"You've got that wrong." His smile now had a slight hint of amusement. "There's also another reason why I chose Togami." He shifted underneath his blanket and slowly, inch by inch, his arms were being revealed.

_Naegi's hands are ugly… because I made them like that._

But when he showed me his hands, there were absolutely no traces of the scars.

They were gloved.

"Now your pair won't get lonely." He smiled smugly.

And all this nervousness and worry washed right off me. I had forgotten how exceeding simple his mind worked and at times, childish even. And to think that I was worked up over nothing, I must be more affected than I initially thought. To Naegi, scars were simply scars. Nothing more and nothing less. He was a person who does not move on but was ready to accept any burden for the sake of his friends. Things such as burnt hands did not bother him at all.

He was just too kind.

"For such a trifle reason, you kicked me out of visiting you. That's just mean." I could not stop the ghost of a smile that formed on my lips. "You should watch the company you keep. Togami might just be rubbing off on you."

He chuckled lightly. "I wanted to surprise you or something like that." He teased. "Besides, I honestly didn't think you'd worry over me like that."

"You think too lightly of me. Are you sure you're fine?"

"It's alright! They're just scarred not broken. I can still keep up with you."

"I'm not promising I'll give you any special treatment."

"Of course not. I want us to be on equal grounds."

And sometimes, he also says the kindest words.

"I look forward to continue working with you. Please take care of me."

He reached out his hand toward me. And I did what any other person would do.

_Holding hands was not all about the skin to skin contact._

* * *

**Omake:** TELLING OFF VISITORS

Togami: Naegi asked me to tell you something.

Kirigiri: What is it?

Togami: Isn't it obvious? _Tell her Naegi!_

Kirigiri: …

Togami: …

~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~


	2. Knowing Nothing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Was it weird to miss a person you didn't know?"  
> Set in a universe where they're students from different high schools.  
> Written in Naegi's POV.

~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~

_It was a person whom I didn't know._

A student from another school died. While watching television last night, news of her came on screen. Apparently she was from an all-girls private high school. They never said anything about her name nor did they show her face. They flashed the bloody scene and I recognized her hair. To see something so familiar yet so unknown at the same time left an impact in me. My eyes were still fixated on the screen even though it had been minutes since the news segment had ended.

Then I started thinking about that girl, whoever she might have been, and pieced whatever I had in mind. Before she had died she had to _have been someone_. She was someone who had a family, friends, and enemies. She was someone who smiled, laughed, and cried. She was someone who at least had a name and a face.

_Now she's practically non-existent._

She's now just a number, a casualty, even worse, an _accident._ That's what they've written on her case. It was by mere luck that she died yesterday. It was the bad kind of luck that chanced upon her yesterday. It's not like it mattered to them. They think that she's just passing news and the world would too forget about her right after the commercial break.

_They've got that wrong._

* * *

  _I unluckily have met that person before._

There was a day when I did something stupid. I had been on the train before. In fact, I always use the train twice every day. I was not even tired that day nor was there anything in particular that was bothering me. It was just after school and with nothing else to do, I decided to head straight home. By the time I got on the train, it started pouring. The bullet train was hit by nature's version of bullets and if I were poetic enough, I would have written a haiku about it. But that's what I've been trying to say from the start.

_It was an ordinary day, I was an ordinary guy but my luck just wasn't._

I got off on the wrong station. Alarms went ringing inside my head when I felt there something distinctively wrong with my surroundings. It looked like the same place but the people looked different. After getting off the same station at the same time every day, you kind of _just know_ the other people like you. And I saw none of my familiar strangers. I frantically looked around for a sign of what could be wrong.

That's when I saw her.

* * *

  _Her name was Kirigiri._

That was the nickname I gave her. I think she would get angry if she knew I had named her after the station I got mistaken with. But at least Kirigiri could pass as a girl's name, right?

I don't know her name. In fact, I don't even remember her face. But her hair was beautiful. It's not like I particularly admired her as if I had a crush on her or anything and it's embarrassing to say this but that's all I could remember of her. She had hair of the lightest of purple with long strands down to her waist. I think she had a braid to one side tied with a ribbon. What color was the ribbon again? I don't even know anymore.

_It's hard to remember someone you don't know._

* * *

  _She was murdered._

That was the obvious explanation. People don't just die in classrooms alone. People don't commit suicides with their bodies squashed and the object used for it gone missing. It was a simple fact that no one seemed to acknowledge. No, they _refuse_ to accept it. Whoever had done in on her had connections. He was obviously powerful if he wasn't a she. But that's just not fair. No, that' not _just._ A life was taken _brutally_ just like that and no one would or could even bat an eyelid.

What would the victim feel? Anger? Regret? Sorrow? Do souls even feel after death? Do we even have souls? I shook my head. I was thinking way too much about this even though I was supposedly unaffected.

But it did bother me.

That night, I didn't dream. It was because I simply didn't sleep. At some point, I even got on the internet. Admittedly, I researched about the girl who recently _died._ I didn't expect to find much but I was proven wrong. Apparently, she was from a well-known family or at least with the elites. There wasn't anything much out there aside from the occasional rumors. I managed to dig deeper by tediously checking every link that at least didn't look like a spam. You'd be surprised about what people thought of you on the internet. That night was spent with me just taking in all this new information.

_It's kind of sad that I learned about her this way._

* * *

 

_We never even had a conversation._

I mean, how could we? We were total strangers. There was nothing to talk about either. I may not know her but I doubt she'd be interested spending her time trying to find a topic with me. I'm from a public high school with no clubs or hobbies whatsoever. She was from a prestigious private high school. Surely, we would be on different levels. It was impossible to even think about having a conversation with someone like her.

But it wasn't like we never had the chance.

We had plenty. After the incident, I was careful to never get off on a wrong station again. Strangely enough, I saw her from time to time. Even stranger was the fact that it was usually near my school. I'm not accusing her of being a _stalker_ or anything. That would just mean that I'm fooling myself to think that I'm even stalk-worthy material. Nevertheless, she was just there and I was just a glance away for our eyes to meet. I don't think she even knew I was there watching her. Maybe if she knew, she would try to catch my attention. Maybe if I walked into her field of vision, she would recognize me. Then maybe we would talk right after the first few awkward moments.

I never did find the courage to walk in her direction.

* * *

  _Anything about her, I knew nothing._

There were a lot of things which I didn't know about her. I didn't know she read mystery novels and even finished them at a quick pace. I didn't know she was the type who kept a journal with her which she wrote in from time to time. I didn't know she was the analytical type until I kept seeing her with a different kind of puzzle each time. I didn't know she was compassionate until that one time when a kid tripped and cried then she walked to him to comfort him with ice cream she had bought specifically for that purpose. I didn't know she particularly liked cherry blossoms since whenever they were in bloom, she would be at her seasonal spot just gazing at them.

I didn't know a lot of things about her.

That's because even if I had to pass by her, I would reroute and take the long way out. But that was okay since we were strangers to begin with. In time, I unconsciously found myself looking for her. I started searching even just her uniform or anything with the right shade of purple like her hair. And when I did find something like that and confirm that it was her, I would have mixed feelings. It was happiness, anxiety, and everything else. It was my cue to avoid her right after finding her.

But there were times when I didn't know she was there. That's how I learned a few things about her without ever actually having to get to know her. And she would never know it but she managed to surprise me for a number of times without even trying. But what surprised me the most were the things that I found out about her when I actually thought about the things concerning her that had happened.

Sometimes I wonder if she saw me too.

* * *

_Everyone knew it was murder._

But it was good to know that even the investigators now classified it as that. I was watching an interview with the chief inspector right now. They never really considered the possibility and were ready to close the case right off the bat but someone told them to check on it. And they did. Every last detail the person pointed out made a valid point and evidences supported them. What surprised me was what the interviewer asked last.

Was it true that they only reconsidered after receiving a mysterious letter?

He adamantly said no. They were professionals. Under no circumstances would they turn to anonymously signed letters for help in work. It was just a rumor spreading around the division. He intimidatingly ended the interview right after in a hurry. Some people are too obvious. After the interview, there wasn't anything interesting left to watch.

Coincidentally, I happened to send a letter the week before.

* * *

_Was it weird to miss someone you don't know?_

I got off on the wrong station. Only this time, it was a deliberate mistake.

This was something I had to do. Because even though I didn't know her, I felt like she still deserved to have her rights paid. And I wanted to do this. I can't go to her funeral after all. It was never disclosed in public so of course I wouldn't find the date on the internet. I would have wanted to be there at the actual funeral but it was not possible. So I'm doing this now. I wanted to do something for her in my own way. And this was the only thing that I could think of.

It was kind of disappointing though. I thought that I would feel something special once I got here but right now it just felt… nothing. Nothing really did happen the first time we met but even so, I had hoped that there would be _something_ at least. I just felt nothing. I didn't even try to remember what happened here long ago. This supposedly funeral-proxy didn't feel special at all. Heck, I didn't even feel anything to begin with.

But since I was already there, I roamed around. At that point, I didn't even expect anything. I looked at _everything._ Deep inside, I was racking my brain to be at least sensitive since I came here for a reason. After a while, I checked out the bulletin boards too. It was filled with flyers and notes and all but one in a corner spoke out to me.

It had lots of holes. That only meant that people kept relocating it and I could only assume that the author persistently relocated it back again. But right now it's just at one dark corner. It never got back to its original location.

Its author never got back to it.

Did I feel nothing for _this_? If I had felt something when I got here then maybe I wouldn't have gotten to scrutinizing everything about this station. I never would have walked this far or looked at things with this much focus. I never would have found this note.

I must have the worst luck after all.

Quickly, I took the note with me and went straight for the lost and found booth. I followed the instructions stated in it. I told the guy manning the booth my name and my _lost_ item.

What I found was so much more.

_Thanks for the umbrella the other day. It proved useful._

_You left in a hurry. I hope you arrived to your destination safely. You seemed lost._

_I recognized your uniform so from time to time I shall be within your area to personally extend my gratitude. Please don't be afraid to approach me._

_-Kyoko Kirigiri_

Kirigiri? What were the odds of that! It seemed that my luck wasn't that bad after all. Guessing someone's name wasn't an easy feat. Knowing her name eased my anxiety a little bit. Knowing that I was right about her name meant something entirely different. It meant that all this while I had in fact, known something about her. I didn't know her name or her face but still…

_I knew her all along._

I didn't know her but I thought she was a person with purpose. It turned out that I was right. Her appearances were never coincidences. It wasn't by chance that was nearby but it wasn't by chance either that we never actually met eye to eye. She was always so close to me because it was in her intentions. She was only close to me but never _with_ me. And I knew _personally_ as to why. Looking back, she only had good intentions. I never saw that though because I never knew her.

I kept telling myself that I didn't know her.

This note would never disappear no matter how much I will it to. So I just stared at the note until it blurred. It was not raining at all but why was my face so wet all of the sudden?

That empty feeling I said earlier? I take that back. What I felt was a feeling of _loss._ On that day, I went home with two notes and an umbrella.

_I felt like I lost more than what I actually found._

* * *

_If only I had properly met her the first time._

It started pouring. I got off on the wrong train station. That's when I saw her.

She had hair of the lightest of purple with long strands down to her waist and a braid to one side tied with a black ribbon. She was digging through her bag. It seemed as if she either lost something or forgot to bring that something with her.

"Here. Use mine."

Without even thinking, I gave her my umbrella.

"Are you sure?"

Her voice spoke in a polite yet firm tone.

"It's alright. I'm wearing my jacket and my route home has lots of roofs to take shelter in."

The last part was obviously a lie and I think she knew that too.

"Very well. Thank you."

And I remembered her gentle face as she thanked me. Then I ran off.

_We would have been good friends._

* * *

**Omake:** IT WAS AN ACCIDENT

Police: It's safe to say that this was an accident. There was absolutely no murder here.

Naegi: You've got that wrong!

Police: …

Naegi: …

Police (to communicator): We have found a suspicious person at the scene of the crime.

~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kirigiri is not a real train station. HOWEVER, there is a station named Kirikiri (and with different characters). CLOSE ENOUGH.


	3. Proving Something

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "How do you measure something like luck?"  
> Set pre-game in a universe where their days were peaceful.  
> Written in Naegi's POV. Contains spoilers.

~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~

_Some things in life were just more of whim than whimsical._

I've already gone past the point of curiosity and into the territory of apathy. It didn't take long for me to realize that there were just some things that weren't meant to be explained. Not everything that happens has happened for a reason. In fact, there may be no greater meaning in life. But that's just me getting ahead of myself.

I've already accepted it.

And even so, I still somehow ended up in this situation. I'm worse off than I've ever been before in a span of one day. This kind of thing was normal to me but today was just tragic. Deliberately trying to observe a phenomenon was our biggest mistake.

My classmates just didn't understand.

* * *

_I should have known better than to stay after class._

"Everyone, I am pleased to announce that we will now begin today's class meeting!"

The class representative, Ishimaru, declared delightedly. The attendance was perfect, everyone was still in their proper seats, and no one was late but this was only natural since it was just seconds after their last period. The order in their classroom was so pristine that it made Ishimaru deliriously happy. At least this time he was happy. I'd rather see him like this than when he was passionate last time.

He gave his opening remarks perfectly as if he memorized it by heart but since it was him, most of us were more used to it than amazed. "…And with that, I'd like to call on Naegi to come to the front."

That wasn't part of the usual script. "Huh? Me?" I pointed to myself just to clarify/

He nodded. "Yes, now kindly present yourself here."

I wasn't even listening! What kind of meeting was this anyways? I didn't have a choice in this so I did as I was told. He cheerily clapped my shoulder afterward. Believe me, I had no idea what was going on so it was the least bit reassuring.

"As you are all aware, we have successfully triumphed over our first year. I believe that our bonds have strengthened since we first met and I'm sure that you all agree as well."

I blinked. Wait a minute. My eyes scanned the class. Everyone was earnestly listening. I was at the back so I didn't notice it before. Was I the only one not listening? I suddenly felt ashamed. But something was off though. It felt as though I was out of the loop. It was as if everyone expected this meeting sooner or later. No, everyone _but me_ expected this meeting to happen _today._

"We will now proceed to the discussion of Naegi's talent."

Never had I been so scared in my life.

* * *

  _Under what circumstances do you consider yourself lucky?_

"I guess for me that's like walking into a store and then finding something you really want." Maizono was the first to answer. "And you're super lucky if it's something really rare too!"

Surprisingly, that was an ordinary example to start off with. At first, I expected them to ask something crazy from me right off the bat. I will be forever grateful to Maizono giving me a slow start. But then again, maybe if I had done something extreme from the start then they'd let me go. Either way, I'm stuck with this.

"Alright, I'll give that a shot."

So we set off and I arbitrarily chose this music shop I go to from time to time. I took my time in browsing every shelf. I walked out after ten minutes with a smug smile.

"I found a limited edition of Maizono's first album and it's in mint condition!" I flashed my newly purchased item at them. "It was up for only its original price, this is awesome!"

"Who knew you had it in ya?" Oowada patted my back.

The CD case slipped.

But I managed to catch it right before it hit the ground. "Close call." I sighed but then I noticed a scratch at the edge of the case. Suddenly, I became anxious. This would probably not end well for me. I opened the case and checked the CD.

It was cracked.

"I'll just have it returned, no worries." I laughed nervously. Then I turned around to get back into the shop.

It was at that moment that the store closed.

I felt as if the world was ganging up on me. My friends could only sympathize.

"Maybe it still works. We could try it out in Chihiro's laptop." Maizono tried to comfort me but even herself wasn't convinced.

We all knew that it was a hopeless case but you'll never know, right? Maybe my luck was just running late and this time it'll surely hit. I mean, that was a lot of allowance! The disc was inserted and the laptop made these weird sounds. After probably the longest seconds of my life, it loaded.

"Unreadable file."

I wish my face was unreadable too.

* * *

  _What about other instances of being lucky?_

"I know!" Asahina shouted eagerly. "There's this donut shop that always runs out of my favorite flavor. It's like my holy grail of donuts." Her mouth almost watered just thinking about it.

"I don't think I have it in me to go into another shop today." My shoulders slumped.

Never will I go into stores when prompted ever again.

* * *

  _Were there evidences of my luck?_

"The fact that you were born." Fukawa hesitantly answered. "It's a miracle that you exist and even share the same classroom with d-dear Togami!"

"Uh, thanks. I guess?" Of course, Fukawa would answer with something like that.

Somehow, I felt like she was accusing me.

* * *

_If there was a test of courage, was there a test of luck?_

"The ultimate test of luck is a perilous path. Cross only if you dare, Master Makoto Naegi." Yamada spoke in an ominous voice.

"I'm sure it's not that life threatening." I joked because he had to be joking too, right?

He adjusted his glasses just to create a gleam effect. "You underestimate the trial. Are you really that eager to meet your demise?"

"Not really but I'll be taking the test anyways."

"I shall forever remember your name should you not survive today!" He saluted me then whispered my task.

My face flushed.

"I can't do that!" I covered my ear. What I heard was something of taboo. Even if I were lucky, I won't be able to live a normal life if I had gone through with it. "Besides, how is that related to luck?"

"The last part!" He huffed.

"I refuse!" I raised my voice.

There's no way I'd peep on the girls changing and not get caught while at it.

* * *

_What were the times that you considered yourself lucky?_

"I am but a simple person." Oogami humbly said. "Just dodging or merely surviving supposedly finishing blows from my opponents is a sign of luck on my part."

"Let's not try that on me." I unconsciously backed away.

Even I knew that my luck was no match to her strength.

* * *

_Were there aspects of luck?_

"I guess luck works differently in the model business." Enoshima commented offhandedly. "You're quite the lucky one if you get into a good contract right from the start."

"But how does that apply to me?" I naively asked.

"It doesn't."

I already knew this before but I never was going into the starlight.

* * *

_How do you measure something like luck?_

"I think it's about randomness and probabilities." A timid voice suggested. "It's the closest thing we can measure, right?"

Well, if you put it that way then that was one interpretation. You're lucky if you get the result with the lowest probability. It was a simple enough concept and everyone at that time agreed to it as well.

"I have a program that plays with probabilities. It's just a one-command process. It produces a random code then depending on the code produced, something happens." As expected of our programmer, Chihiro, to volunteer this method.

"By random code… how random are the results?" Yamada asked with concern.

"Oh, don't worry. I've programmed it to only produce mediocre to positive events. The most unlikely being getting today's numbers in the lottery." The laptop was already out with the program opened.

"Such sorcery! Let us put this to good use then!" He yelled with enthusiasm.

"Like I said, it's random though. So it depends on Naegi's performance. I sure hope that we'd hit the jackpot!" Chihiro giggled.

Performance? Gee, thanks for the no pressure. I sighed. I wished they didn't place too much hope in my… _talent_ , if you could call it that. I just wanted to get this over with.

"So I just press enter, right?" And I did.

Nothing happened.

Well that was anti-climactic. And then all of a sudden, a string of intelligible letters and digits filled the screen. If this was just one code then it was a _long_ one.

"Umm, Chihiro?"

But before he could tell everyone what had just happened, he immediately snatched the laptop and opened a few other programs. I wasn't exactly sure what he was doing but I was too afraid to disturb him when he wore such a concentrated look. When he finally finished, he rebooted the laptop and sighed.

"Naegi's luck is… remarkable." He finally said. "The code it generated was a hack into a foreign agency. Had I acted any slower, we would have been traced and I'm still unsure as to what kind of agency it was hacking into."

While some hid theirs, it was obvious that everyone fell into a state of shock.

"Wait, but I thought you said this thing only produced good codes."

"That's what it was programmed to do. And yet, it created something near the impossible. A _bad_ code."

"Congratulations." Yamada patted me on the back.

I didn't know how to take that.

* * *

_Was there even such a thing called luck?_

"My big bro once told me that only the weak rely on luck." Oowada told me. "Men get things done through hard work not dumb luck."

"That's true." I couldn't agree more.

But I felt like I was inadvertently insulted.

* * *

_Was luck influenced by the environment?_

"To some extent, yes." Ikusaba thought out loud. "I know for a fact that depending on the surroundings, it could affect the number and kind of injuries probable. Not to mention the body count as well."

"Thanks for the answer." I quickly cut off the conversation.

It was too dangerous if it went on and I had to actually test it.

* * *

_Can we compare luck?_

"It can't be helped. Perhaps I shall provide you with the aid you require." Celes graced me with her support. "While I may not be the SHSL Luckster, I am the SHSL Gambler. It would only be fitting if we put our luck to the test."

Now that she mentioned it, she had a point. Gambling had strategy in it but it was more of luck that ruled the game. Celes was the best at this. She has never lost a gamble before. To be honest, just her presence was intimidating enough.

"I'll warn you though. I never play for free." She smirked. "I expect compensation of some sort for the winner."

"How about I help you for a whole week? That is if I lose."

"I could use a servant at school." She smiled. "Be sure to dress accordingly. I expect nothing less than European."

"I hope I won't disappoint." Wow, we haven't even started yet and I felt as if I already lost.

"Very well. Shall we begin?"

She took out a deck of cards she conveniently carried with her for instances such as these. The game was poker since that was the only card game which I knew the rules somewhat. I won't even make this sound longer than it should but basically, I lost.

I lost for ten consecutive rounds.

It wasn't just any lost either. I had the worst possible hand each time.

"I must admit that you are quite… interesting for the lack of a better word." Celes didn't even bother to hide her amusement.

"I give." I know when I'm defeated. "So when does my week start?"

She giggled. "But Naegi, we agreed that if I won, you'd serve me for a week. And I believe that for the record, I have won ten times."

"You've got to be kidding me!" My jaw dropped.

"Also, I'd appreciate it if you wore different attires each week." She smiled sweetly.

Gambling underage was never the brightest idea.

* * *

_Were there any rules in regards to luck?_

"Surely there are no regulations because if there are then I should have been informed." As expected from Ishimaru. He always did uphold the order. "Just a minute. If there are no rules then maybe such a thing like luck is not allowed!"

"You're just overthinking things." I broke into a sweat. The last thing I needed was him on my back all the time.

Wrong question and wrong person to answer.

* * *

_Was there a simple definition to luck?_

"There's always a simple explanation to everything." Kuwata wagged his eyebrows. "You're lucky when you _get lucky-_ if you know what I mean."

Ugh, not another round of this!

"C'mon, man! It's all about scoring the ladies!" He swung an arm around my shoulders. "Ya ain't lucky if ya can't get girls."

"Might I remind you that we're with our female friends as well." And I'm this close to getting caught in the crossfire.

I may not be that innocent but I'm not yet willing to cross the line of perversion.

* * *

_Can luck be understood scientifically?_

"I'm telling ya, luck ain't something that technology can handle." Hagakure pointed out. "Luck's all about the natural science. And what better way to check on it than with my crystal ball."

To Hagakure, _everything_ could be explained by his readings… 30% of the time. These were his words not mine. He admitted that while it seemed low, it was in fact a large number and we should all be grateful. I guess there's nothing left for me to do than to be happy for him.

"Sometimes I wonder if they made a mistake with _your_ application." Asahina commented while everyone else silently agreed in their hearts.

"Ya think so too?" He scratched his head embarrassedly. "I thought SHSL Fortune Teller was too boxing. I mean I got a lot out for me than just one talent." He laughed merrily.

"No, I wasn't complimenting you."

"You got something else other than fortune telling?" Kuwata asked.

"Of course! Let's see, aside from fortune telling using my crystal ball, there's fortune telling using incense, fortune telling using the stars, fortune telling using totems, and others as well."

"Isn't that all just the same thing?!"

"Ya stupid?" Hagakure burst out in anger.

"Right back at ya." Asahina murmured.

"Can't ya all see that they're different techniques? I mean wasn't it obvious that they all use different stuff?"

At this point, I don't think there was any use in arguing with him.

"Anyways, Hagakure, would you mind reading my fortune then?" If this keeps up, I'm scared that I may actually get convinced with what he was saying.

"No problem, Naegi!" He pulled out his crystal ball and lit a few incense sticks.

Regardless, every time Hagakure did a reading it was always accurate at least when he did it with us. So I have to admit that this made me anxious. After having his eyes closed for a minute, he finally opened them.

"Weird. S'kinda vague this time." He scratched his chin. "Just says that something will fall on you. Must be good luck!"

"By something falling on me, is this in the metaphorical-" Before I could even finish my question, it already happened.

Something fell on my head.

I've come this far so there's no turning back. I grabbed whatever fell on my head and looked at it only to find out that it was a… "Salmon roll."

"It's not even salmon roe just cheap salmon roll." Celes remarked.

"Whoever heard of sushi falling from the sky?!" I yelled.

"Settle down, plebeian. At least it wasn't the usual bird excretion." Togami chided.

Then something fell on my head again.

My face immediately paled. With my other hand, I took hold of the second object to fall on my head and it was not bird poop rather it was… "A dead bird."

"Ha! Told ya my readings were accurate!"

To my credit, I didn't punch anyone in frustration afterward.

* * *

_What if luck-_

"Shut up." Togami spoke. "I've had it with these meaningless discussions. Lucky or not, it doesn't change the fact that you already got into this class, now does it?"

"I guess not." I mentally flinched.

"Unfortunately so." He turned around. "Let's not prolong this anymore and accept the fact that Naegi possesses some form of luck because obviously he has no talent whatsoever."

His words were precise and sharp. But it was only so because every last one held truth.

* * *

_Being lucky never automatically translated to good luck._

"Today was a busy day." Kirigiri gave me a can of soda from the nearby vending machine.

After Togami's outburst, we finally disbanded. Since everyone already had their theories tested and all, there was really nothing left to go on. Thankfully, they let me off the hook. I thought I should have headed straight home to get some deserved rest but I ended up on this bench in the park. Watching the sun go down had this calming effect on me. I felt like I just lived, no, _survived_ a hard day.

Kirigiri opted to join me though. I don't know why she did but it was comforting.

"Thanks." I said then I drank down the whole can. That felt good.

"Was it fun to have everyone's attention?" She was teasing me but it hardly showed on her face.

"Yeah. It was fun but _really_ exhausting!" I shouted. "But in spite of everything that happened today, I think I understand a bit better."

"About what?"

I was incredibly _unlucky._ Today's events were evidences supporting just that. But today wouldn't happen unless I got accepted into Hope's Peak Academy in the first place. And the reason for my acceptance was not because I had any special talent or anything. It was by some force that I got accepted and it was called luck.

And I guess I was extremely _lucky._ I think that all of my good luck was used into that one shot to get me into this school. Do I hate it? Not at all.

Being able to meet everyone and getting to know them beyond the talents that the world knows them for was something that I cherished a lot. They were my friends. And I could live with having extra bad luck for the rest of my life for this. If I didn't use up all my good luck into getting here…

I wouldn't have had Kirigiri here beside me.

"I take that back. I really don't understand anything at all."

Whether by luck or not, I'd treasure my friendships the same.

_Some things in life were just more of whimsical than whim._

* * *

**Omake:** MIXING UP NAMES

Yamada: Master Kyoko Naegi!

Kirigiri: …!

Naegi: …!

Kirigiri: Hifumi Yamada, I thought we already discussed this. Whenever calling for both me and Naegi, please address us both individually and correctly.

Yamada: But you're always together. This way is more convenient.

Naegi: Then could you at least call us both either by our first names or by our surnames instead of… that.

Yamada: I refuse! Besides, it's only a matter of time before this headcanon of mine becomes canon!

~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is an old fic but reposting this now, I'm glad that past me thought of including everyone here, even the twins.


	4. Just One Perspective

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Being alone gave me solitude."  
> Set in a universe where Kirigiri met Naegi who was a transfer student.  
> Written in Kirigiri's POV.

~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~

_To do things on my own was something I did frequently._

Being alone came to me naturally. It was not something that I was ashamed of. In fact, it was more like something that I myself sought after. The lack of company simply translates to the absence of unnecessary things such as noises, annoyances, and problems. And while many would argue that my ignorance would ultimately lead to me _missing out_ , they've got that wrong. I am very much aware that I look incompetent in regards to my social relationships so ignorance was not the right term.

I've simply learned to be independent.

I do not require another person to have this braid done with a black ribbon to tie it. Likewise, I do not require another person for help on anything else.

There were things that could only be experienced when with company but the opposite held truth as well. If I were to choose, and I already have, I would go for the latter. In the end, one could only rely on oneself just as I have. A problem arises when there is a conflict between or amongst parties. My current path is one of no conflicts since there are no different parties to begin with.

_It has always been just me._

* * *

_There are certain memories that you only recall when everything is quiet._

Sometimes, there were too many memories all at once. Each holding some form of sentimentality with its own unique significance of why it should be replayed. And then there are those that _need_ to be replayed. Depending on the time of the day, the mood, the circumstances, and basically everything else, they were most often the loudest. Maybe loud was not the right term. They just held more weight.

Even the lightest memories can be made heavy with time.

One memory of mine happened when we were both on cleaning duty. Needless to say, that didn't stop Naegi from his daily routine of conversing with me. It was just the setting that changed. At least one of us was happy with the arrangement.

"You said before that you never get lonely, was that true?" Naegi suddenly brought up while he finished rearranging the chairs.

"I think that you would know that I would gain nothing from fabricating such things." I simply answered.

"Yeah but I also think that there's no reason for you to tell the truth either." He nonchalantly added.

I gave him a calculating gaze.

"Ah! Sorry!" He raised his hands in defense. It seemed my glare was working effectively. "I was imposing on you. I just wanted to be sure." His tone was still apologetic.

By then, I had left the board still littered with today's lecture. It could wait. Right now, I had to turn the interrogation around my supposed partner.

"And may I ask your purpose?"

"I guess in Kirigiri's language I'd say that…" He trailed while he stared elsewhere hoping to find the right words. The pause was longer than I would've wanted but at least that proved that he was really thinking things through. Once composed, he gave me the most serious face I have seen on him. "I find this fact relevant to me. And my decisions will then depend on the credibility of your claim…" Until it gave way for that unabashed smile. "Or something like that."

"I suppose I should be glad that your observation skills are sharp enough to at least mimic my manner of speech." I would've smiled too but scolding him was a more appealing idea. "However, it is demeaning to actually do it in my face just like you did."

"Cut me some slack! I was just joking!" And just like that, we slipped again into the all too familiar humor.

"I'll let that go for now." I said with my usual tone. "Going back, yes, I can attest to the fact that I have never been lonely."

"Never? Even when I'm not here?" His face looked like that of a puppy who was begging for attention.

I approached him. My steps sounded louder in the nearly empty room and perhaps, I may have even held a bigger presence.

_There are some things you deliver in person._

"Never. Besides, when you're not with me, I wouldn't describe that feeling as loneliness. Perhaps peace?" I joked in a serious tone, the kind where I knew that he'd be confused on whether I was joking or not.

"Am I really that much of a bother?" He asked with losing confidence.

We laughed it off and picked up on the topic we left during lunch break. It was peaceful like that while we cleaned and chatted idly. It took us a while because with Naegi's usual stroke of luck, we had to mop up all the contents of the bucket that was tipped over twice, but we were finally done. The way home was always accentuated with his talkativeness over trifle matters that we both know I do not take any special interest in.

It would've been better if we actually talked about those instead.

He spoke with an unusually calm voice. "But I'm glad. At least I could rest easy with this."

"Is there something wrong, Naegi?" I asked with growing concern.

"I'm transferring schools." He said with finality.

_Looking back, I'd rather wished he had._

* * *

_Adaptability was a practical necessity._

There is a certain spot around the park where I would often place myself. It had the right amount of shade, the most soothing breezes, and most importantly, only the faintest of noises. It was perhaps the only place where I could read with guaranteed joy. However, due to the ongoing renovation which was highly impractical if I must say, I have been stripped of such benefits. I now read at a different spot although begrudgingly. See, I adapted.

In time, I too have adapted to his presence.

For some inexplicable reason, the transfer student has taken a particular liking to me. Whenever a chance presented itself, he would thoughtlessly grab it just to stay close. In some cases, he would even try to initiate a conversation of some sort.

Even though I have made it very clear that I do not appreciate the sentiment at all.

He was like the perfectly attached stray dog you never wanted. It was grating on my nerves for I had to adjust upon this change that he imposed. In time, I started answering back in those small talks and later on, I participated as well in banter. I had taken note of his usual behavior, his choice in food and beverages, and other preferences. It became easier to maneuver the conversation when I knew what each gesture meant and what each word implied. It became easier to avoid unnecessary topics if I initiated the conversation. It became easier to acquire free food on his account when he too shared the same interest. I did all that to adapt.

_Perhaps, I adapted too well._

* * *

_There was nothing noteworthy to describe him with._

"My name is Makoto Naegi. I know it's the middle of the semester but I hope if it's okay with everyone, I'd like to be friends with you all too. Oh, and please take care of me!" He bowed lower than what was necessary.

That was how he was first introduced to our class. Judging by the not so discreet whispers I've been hearing, the majority has decided that he was average. Perhaps average was too kind because the more hushed whisper here was boring. From his hair to his height and even the way he talked, he was just not living up to the ridiculous imaginary standard that all transfer students must uphold.

But the fact was that he was still a transfer student.

So despite all the negative feedback at first, they all still swarmed him at the first minute of lunch break. But it only lasted just as long. Upon realizing that he really was all that they saw in him, one by one, the crowd left. By the end of lunch, the crowd was halved. By the end of the week, there was hardly a crowd. On the second week, no one had bothered at all. And by the end of the month, it was clear that he couldn't make a place for himself in this new environment. Even I contributed to this fact. I've never found it in my best interests to form friendships before so a new face wouldn't change that.

_Not everything new is always warmly welcomed._

* * *

_Being alone gave me solitude._

On my way home, I once saw him sitting on bench in the park. His shoulders were hunched and his spirit was broken. His gaze was not just distant, it was himself being distant. It annoyed me to no end. My schedule for the afternoon was to finish this mystery novel that I recently started so I thought that I may as well try reading it with a different scenery albeit it's not the sort of ambiance I'd be looking for. The renovation of the site has already started on the other side and I've heard of its share of more than acceptable hazards and accidents but it will do for now.

Walking casually, I went to him, sat on the other end of the bench, and did what I came to do. I started reading. In the corner of my eyes, I saw him jump a little at my actions. He was more nervous than cautious though. After a while, he started fidgeting. Unsure of what to do, it seemed that he was trying to start a conversation. His mouth would open every now and then but at the last moment, he'd close it again and try to muster the courage he just spent. To be honest, it was tiring to watch.

Without taking my eyes off the pages, I spoke first. "Aren't you lonely?"

That took him by surprise. "I-I guess so." He stammered. And with hesitation, he asked. "Is it the same with you?"

"No. Not at all." I answered swiftly.

Because what I had was solitude.

_That was the first proper conversation I had started with another person._

* * *

_Conflict has its perks too._

"You don't like it?" He asked. We were now casual acquaintances by this time but I believe Naegi thought we were more familiar than that.

"I don't think I'm entitled to answer that." I replied.

"Come on! Unless you tell me so, I won't be sleeping well tonight knowing that there's this small chance that Kirigiri might have hated the braid." He whined and it was hard to take him seriously with him holding a comb so naturally.

" _Small_?" I raised an eyebrow at him.

"Fine _._ "He sighed. _"_ An _estimated_ chance that you'd kill me while I'm asleep."

I chuckled a bit. "Fair enough. I find your skills belittling of what I already possess."

Surprisingly, Naegi was deft at holding a comb. He was definitely better than I am. The braid was neat with no loose strands which she assumed was a real challenge given how long and thick her hair was. He was also careful not to make unwanted mistakes that would hurt me but was still fast at work. There were things that did bother me though. Did he always have a hair tie with him just for opportunities like this? But why the ribbon though? A signature of a stylist? I suppose I should ask those for another day because he started talking.

"If it makes you feel any better, it's not something I can practically brag about." He flushed and I assumed he believed it was an embarrassing confession. "I have a younger sister. Way before she had friends, she already had me. Her favorite game was a competition between us to see who could better braid mom's hair."

"And what was the score?" Curious, I asked.

"I was older so I had better hand-eye coordination." He then had this look like that of a child who was just caught eating candy he's not supposed to. "I always asked mom to let me lose."

I think I know where this was going. "Oh? Did you think that would make your sister happy?"

"I was the older sibling. I thought I was grown-up enough." He sighed and just shook his head. "But it's just as you said. When she found out, Komaru hated that I was losing on purpose. So she worked hard to not give me a reason to do just that."

"A reasonable reaction."

"She got so good at braiding, I had to keep up."

"You should've known better than to belittle someone just because they were younger."

"I learned my lesson." He raised his hand on oath. "Anyways, you have beautiful hair, Kirigiri. It's soft and silky. It's practically a crime to not have it braided."

With so much praise all at once, it was only appropriate that I responded properly. "Have you developed a crush… on my hair?"

"You don't have to say it like that." He flushed harder. He gets embarrassed too easily. "It really is beautiful. Braided looks nice too."

"I'll have to pass. I prefer it this way which is most convenient." I argued. I'm not a fan of the hassle.

"You know, it wouldn't hurt to admit that you can't braid." He suggested.

"That's where you're wrong. Just because I can braid doesn't mean I _have_ to braid myself."

"Well, if you don't want to then I will."

"I beg your pardon?"

He pumped his fist. "The sibling war is still on and I need all the practice that I can get."

"I refuse." I flat out rejected him.

"Please, to be a better brother, I have to be… uh, a better braider." Even he was unsure of what he was saying.

I never did like it when conversations like these dragged on. That's because arguments were tiring affairs. As if conversing wasn't exhausting enough. So the quicker the solution, the better.

That's why I conceded. "Very well. But only after class and when no one's around. I don't want any unnecessary rumors."

His eyes literally shone with joy. "Thank you! I can't wait to braid your hair every day!"

"I have yet to agree on when and how often you'll be doing just that."

"You'll say yes anyways." He said teasingly and proudly added another claim. "And maybe someday, you'll finally ask me to teach you how to braid yourself."

Even I couldn't help but smile at that. Such a roundabout way of asking.

_More than that, there was this feeling of fulfillment upon resolution._

* * *

_I should've accepted the fact that he was transferring._

Usually, we would walk side by side. He would try to match my pace whenever possible. Now was different. He wasn't making that much of an effort to even try. I supposed it was obvious that I wanted to distance myself. I needed the space.

"When will you go?" I was walking ahead now but still on our usual route. It's perfect for our conversation because I wanted to shout right now and the noise from the renovation was a great excuse for that.

"By the end of this school year. It's sudden but if we all move out with dad's transfer, the main expenses will be covered by his company." He spoke louder but it held a weaker tone as compared to mine.

"Is that so?"

"Are you mad?"

I let the question hang for a while. As a flurry of noises raged on. In particular, there was the creaking noise of a nearby crane that would later haunt my nightmares.

"No, I don't have a good reason to be mad at something you obviously have no control over." I composed myself. "However, I'd appreciate it if you'll keep me company for a little while longer."

"I'm sorry. Kirigiri has always been so kind to me and I really do want to stay here. But…" Judging by the tone of his voice, he sounded like he was genuinely torn. If I had chosen to confirm that with my sight then maybe I would've noticed the shadow looming above him. "I can't abandon my family. Sorry."

And I believed him. "If I told you that I do get lonely, could you at least tell me what to do then?"

When I turned around, it was _just in time_ to see a load of steel bars fall right where Naegi stood.

_It was too late however, for him._

I screamed.

Quickly overcoming the shock, I rushed to him. There was blood on me, on the steel bars, on the pavement, there was so much blood that I feared there wasn't enough left in him. There were some concerned bystanders but I never paid heed to them. With shaky and bloodied hands, I dialed for the emergency hotline. Once somebody picked up the line, I tried to talk but the words escaped me… when I saw what looked to be the insides of Naegi's head.

I screamed again only louder.

_And hope suddenly became nonexistent to me._

Tears streamed down my face. All of this was too sudden. Sobs wracked my body. The pool of blood was getting larger by the second and I was on my knees, soaked in it.

I was becoming just like him: unrecognizable.

"Hey… I was still talking to you…" I was perfectly fine before you came along. Take responsibility. He was going to transfer, wasn't he? He was _supposed_ to transfer. But he'll never will. He never even got to my question.

"If I get lonely, what do I do then? Answer me! Naegi!"

_Company meant that there were times when issues would be left unresolved._

* * *

_I learned to be independent but I wished I had learned more._

I did not require another person to have this braid done with a black ribbon to tie it. The ribbon perfectly matched the attire I chose for today. It was as black as a moonless night. It was also the same color as I felt if I could get any more poetic. That's because in physics, black is the _absence_ of light.

I've been so used to his presence that I hadn't prepared for his absence.

I never saw myself as missing out on things but I didn't take into account that I would be one day _missing_ another person. There were things that could only be experienced when with company and some only when that same company is gone. It's an entirely different experience from never having anyone in the beginning. Unfortunately, it is something that I have been recently acquainted with. It's something that comes with being alone.

Before I met him, being alone used to be easy. It gave me solitude. Loneliness and solitude were two things not to get confused with.

_Being alone now was just lonely._

* * *

**Omake** : HAIR STYLIST

Kirigiri: It seems you're quite capable when it comes to hair.

Naegi: I can do more than just braid!

Kirigiri: If it has anything to do with an _ahoge_ then I too must showcase my _skills._

Naegi: …!

Kirigiri: …

Naegi: I can… only do braids…

~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I always want to write fics concerning the change a friend could have over another especially when that person never had friends before. I find the experience to be beautiful and yet it has its own downsides such as when you miss each other.


	5. Comfort in Stranger

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "There are stranger things in life other than strangers."  
> Set in a universe where they met during one summer.  
> Written in Naegi's POV.

~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~

_We instinctively fear the unknown._

And for good reasons. There's just so much uncertainty in them and it's kind of hard to take risks when you know that in the worst case scenario, it'll cost us our lives. We fear that we'll somehow end up dead and what's more is that we fear the manner of our death. But it doesn't just end there. What comes after is just more of the unknown. What's the afterlife like? Was there a correct religion for that or are all religions right in their own way? Is there even an afterlife to begin with?

_The unknown can be intimidating._

That's why to survive, we've been taught to not only fear it but to stay away from it. A classic lesson from the parents is to never talk to strangers. It's actually common sense. But a "stranger" is just too general and I would argue with anyone about its definition. Because to some, this girl sitting outside my neighbor's door would be considered a stranger. I guess, in some ways they're right. Even so, there's still something I can proudly say.

_I never did learn._

* * *

_Summer is the season of many things._

For some it's the time to go to places around the world or for others it's to visit relatives. Whether you flunked your current subjects or just aiming high on an entrance test, you'll probably be attending cram school. There are those who'd use the break to work odd jobs and earn money while there are others who'd just laze around at home all break.

I wish I was in the last category.

Working can take a lot out of you but working in the heat is just plain torture. Luckily for me, I'm quite happy with my job so it's worth all the trouble. But luck's never on my side though. I messed up today and it's only my first day on the job! It was just sorting work that I screwed so thankfully, this time there weren't any mistakes that would've warranted a cut in my pay. It did cost me to work overtime and time did fly by. It's late when I already head back home to the apartment.

That's when I saw her.

There was this girl sitting outside our neighbor's door. She was around my age, I think, but I could never be too sure. Hair of the lightest shade of purple and skin which I couldn't tell if it was either pale or too fair. Hugging her legs, a distant gaze, and the aura that she gave off, she felt so far away. It was like she blended in the background without even trying. You'd notice her but that's just it.

She was just there.

I didn't realize that I actually stopped in my tracks and just stared at her. I think I was staring far too long since eventually, she noticed my presence. Our eyes met. I panicked. Quickly, I murmured an apology and swiftly went straight on my way without looking back. Behind the safety of our door, I let out my breath that I didn't know I was holding.

That was enough excitement for one night.

Make that one week or even for the whole summer. With that crisis averted, I should prepare dinner now. But the fridge apparently had other plans. It was empty. I mentally hit myself. I completely forgot about that. Groaning, I braced myself before going out to hopefully still catch the supermarket before it closed. I passed by her again on the way.

An hour and two bags later, I saw her the third time and she still sat there.

For a moment, I actually wondered whether she was alive or was just a really convincing statue left outside. But that must be the fatigue and hunger talking. Just like what I've been doing for a while now, I ignored her as I went inside and began unpacking. Occasionally, my thoughts would curiously find her. It's pretty late so I wondered if she already ate. She must be just as hungry as I am. Without thinking, I prepared too much food. Well, to be fair, it was enough if it was for two. It was obvious that something or rather someone was weighing heavy on my conscience.

I had to make the fourth time happen.

"Um… Hi." I started awkwardly. Inside, I was praying she was nice enough not to point out that I was really nervous. Wait, maybe she was thinking I was suspicious. I hope she didn't get the wrong idea. "Here, I didn't know what you liked but juice seemed like a safe choice. If you're okay with it, I could fix you some proper tea or whatever you want back at my place." I offered a bottle of orange juice. Juice? Really? How old am I? Bottled water was the safest option!

I didn't realize just how much pressure her gaze would hold. I felt as if she was scrutinizing every fiber of my being.

"D-d-don't get the w-wrong idea! I promise I don't h-have any ulterior motives!" I composed myself after all that stuttering. I tried to be as sincere as possible. "It's just that you've been here for a while so I thought… you know… it must be hard. Because if it were me, I'd be thirsty and hungry and… I'm sorry, this may all seem strange but trust me, I just want to help... that is if you're okay with that."

I closed my eyes and hoped for the best.

My mind was racing. Maybe she thought I was a con-man who'd swindle money out of her once I get the blackmail material. Maybe she thought I was some kind of assaulter who'd jump on her the second the opportunity arises. Maybe she thought I was a murderer who'd strike when we're finally alone. She had every right to think of these things, after all, who am I but a stranger?

Her reply came out as unreadable as her face. "…Okay."

That was unexpected. It's great but I really did not expect that. I didn't know which was stranger: my invite or her acceptance?

_There are stranger things in life other than strangers._

* * *

_You don't invite strangers into your home._

It's really late right now and I'm alone with a girl in my own home. Just when I finally brought home a girl that's not my friend, she's not someone I know either. Thank goodness no one is here to question my life choices for me.

Surprisingly, she was the one who broke the silence. "Coffee."

"What?" I almost dropped the bowl I was holding at the sound of her voice.

"Rather than tea, I'd prefer if you had coffee if it's not too much of a bother." She was helping me set the table.

"It's alright, I invited you in after all so I have to take care of my guest." I checked the cupboards. "We have instant coffee, is that okay?"

Her lips had the smallest twitch that I wasn't sure if it was upward in glee or downward in disappointment. "Yes, that will do."

It was the most silence ever held inside the Naegi household.

The dinner was especially quiet. Too quiet. I wasn't too sure how long I'd last in it. So I tried to make small talk.

"I don't think I've seen your face around. I'm guessing you came with the summer."

"You could say that."

"Staying for good or just this vacation?"

"The latter. If possible, I'd like it to be shorter."

Just as soon as I started it, she quickly ended it.

Another short conversation.

I wracked my brain for whatever else to talk about. "Are you related with Mr. Kirigiri?" At least, if I remember correctly, he's the occupant of that apartment she was sitting outside at.

The response was not immediate. It was as if she was carefully picking out the words. "In a way, yes. We're… _distantly_ related."

I guess that's the most conversation we'll be having. Which by the way, I completely overlooked the introductions. What was I thinking? No wonder she wouldn't talk to me, we barely even knew each other's names!

Halfway through the meal, I spoke. "By the way, I'm Makoto Naegi. And you are?"

She answered without complaining how rude of me to introduce myself this late into the conversation. "Kyoko."

"That's pretty unusual for a surname."

"It's actually my first."

I caught the chopsticks that I dropped. "Are you s-sure? I mean, we only just met."

In a calm tone, she spoke. Or was it neutral? "Yes, you can call me Kyoko. Would you prefer that I call you by Makoto?"

"N-n-no, that's um, not necessary. I'm fine with Naegi." It was hard not to choke on words at this point.

"Very well, Naegi. It was nice meeting you." She bowed her head a little.

Meeting someone one moment and having dinner with them the next probably wasn't the brightest thing to do. But it's nice to know that the other person knew perfectly well that accepting the offer wasn't really bright either. Even though most of the time we spent was in silence, my first night of summer was a little less lonely.

_The food we ate that night tasted better than it should've been._

* * *

_It's easier to get used to the strangeness of things than at first glance._

I don't know how or when it happened but eventually, Kyoko ate dinner with me every night. Whenever I came back, she was always there sitting outside of Mr. Kirigiri's door. And just like always, I'd invite her in. Recently, we agreed to take turns buying each other the dinner. She proposed it mainly because it just wouldn't be right for her to get dinner for free all the time. I couldn't argue with that logic. When it's already close to midnight, she'd excuse herself and leave probably because that's when Mr. Kirigiri comes home. It became a normal thing for us. Eventually though, those short conversations actually grew longer.

Before she could even start on her slice of cake, she asked. "What was so important that your family had left you alone here?"

"I don't know what you're talking about. I live alone." I feigned ignorance.

"You've got that wrong." She stared me down.

And I eventually gave in. Like I said the first time, that gaze is intimidating enough. "Okay, okay. There's just no joking with you. What gave me away?"

"I can't help but notice the lack of people in your home in spite of it being fully furnished for five." She proceeded to point out each and every detail while I listened in awe.

"That's amazing! You're like a super detective!" I clapped. "Actually, we're only four. But it's pretty close, considering we do keep extras for a guest. The extras never get used though so they must be pretty happy to have you around."

She chuckled. "Likewise. Thank you. But back to the matter at hand."

"Oh, right. Well, it was supposed to be a whole family thing but I already made a promise to the uncle who manages the local cake shop." It was the closest thing I could get to repay the uncle for all the good deeds he's done for me. I laughed at the memory. "My sister wasn't all too happy about it and I was _this_ close to getting dragged with them but thankfully my parents bailed me out."

"Are you sure you made the right decision? You're missing out a lot of experience without them."

"It's alright. They could just get me souvenirs and photos."

"Photos are cheap." She said offhandedly. "They only remind you of the past. And no matter how great that photo is, it is meaningless if you do not uphold it in the present and future commitments."

I blinked back. That was a lot to take in. How do you reply to that?

"Is something wrong, Kyoko?" I asked tentatively.

"It's nothing."

"Well, it obviously is something. It's okay if you don't want to talk about it." I placed my hand on top of hers. "When you're ready, I'll be here to listen. You can trust me."

She wore that face that said she was calculating things. It felt as if she was just as careful as I was treading on this conversation. It felt like forever before she spoke again. "My father was a man who left my mother while I was still young."

And with that first sentence, I wasn't sure if I should know this or even if I wanted to hear the rest.

Her hand curled into a fist. "It devastated my mother. When she later passed on, he never even attended the funeral service. It wasn't as if I wanted him to in the first place." Her face wasn't its usual cold hard poker face. Right now it was just cold and hard. "After all these years, he thought he could redeem himself with a photo."

It was hard to watch her like this. Here she was pouring out unwanted memories but between the two of us, I looked like I was the emotional one. Maybe it's because she didn't want to express herself in front of a stranger like me or maybe she's just not into expressions. Either way, keeping all of that bottled up can't be good for her. But at that time, I didn't know what I could've done for her.

For the first time since she came, there was silence in the Naegi household. It's different from the usual because this time, someone was crying.

_Not every conversation we had was short and not every one was happy._

* * *

_You never do notice when someone becomes a part of your life, it just happens._

A lot has changed ever since I met Kyoko but it was mostly our home which adapted. On the second week, she was finally starting to open up and I was told that she wasn't that much a fan of instant coffee. I took it as her language for saying that she hates it. I bought a pack of coffee that was hopefully closer to her tastes and tried to serve it. Unfortunately, I wasn't good at preparing it in the first place. Kyoko now voluntarily goes into our kitchen to make her own cup of coffee. Yes, this is still the same stranger that I met not so long ago.

"You're always waiting outside. Don't you have a spare key?" It was a growing concern of mine.

"It's a ridiculous waste of money to have one duplicated just for this summer." She answered while casually sipping her coffee.

"What are you saying? I think it's even more ridiculous of Mr. Kirigiri to have you wait for hours and at night!" Just the thought of it was outrageous! "What would you have done if I wasn't here?"

She put down her mug at the same time she put on the pressure.

"Are you saying that I _owe_ you?" She gave me the look.

"No! I didn't mean it _that_ way!" I almost frantically said in panic. My hands did all these weird gestures that I know didn't mean anything at all. "I mean I didn't do it because I was trying to get something out of you. I just thought that Mr. Kirigiri has been unreasonable with you."

She chuckled a little bit. It was rare of her to do that but at least it was happening more often. "You're quite easy to string along. Nevertheless, I am truly grateful for your hospitality."

I sighed. Crisis averted. "For someone who's joking, why did you have to look so serious?"

"Hm? Well, it wouldn't be funny otherwise." I think she was smiling behind her cup.

A stranger can smile, laugh and joke as much as any other person. Well, maybe not as _much_ if that stranger is Kyoko but it will do.

_It doesn't matter who, what matters was that it was surprisingly fun to have someone who talks back._

* * *

_I wonder when we stopped being strangers._

So for tonight we had instant ramen. I take full responsibility for that. I was trying to cook in low fire but our stove apparently had other ideas. My luck was _on fire. The_ fire was so uncontrollable and strong that I was sure I'd burn the kitchen if it weren't for Kyoko's quick thinking. So an hour, one burnt dinner and a broken stove later, we were too hungry to prepare another supposedly proper meal. Cup noodles are more delicious than one would think.

"I must say that this is an… interesting meal."

"It's not funny…"

"Try not to be careless, Naegi." She sympathetically patted my hand or was that mock sympathy?

"I try hard." Although I still appreciated the fact that she pegged me as careless rather than unlucky.

Tonight someone other than Kyoko actually visited me. The doorbell rang and Kyoko took it as her cue to leave. It was still early for her and I did want her to stay longer since summer was nearing its end. However, I couldn't argue with her since it was still a suspicious time for a girl and a boy to be together. The last thing I wanted was to have these visits abruptly end because of rumors.

As she left, she quickly bowed to my new visitor and went on her way.

"Oh, Makoto. Was that your friend just now?" It was the landlady with a plastic bag in hand. It smelled of barbeque and I was reminded how one cup of instant noodles wasn't satisfying enough. I was hungry yet again.

"In some ways, yeah. Good evening, ma'am." I greeted as I let her in.

"I know it's late but my husband brought home too much so I thought I'd share with you since I know how hard it must be having your family leave you behind." She offered.

"Not at all. But thank you for the concern and the food!" And I happily accepted.

I briefly thought of inviting Kyoko back for another round of dinner.

"I should thank you too. It looks like you're taking good care of that child." She looked relieved but concern laced her every word.

"You mean Kyoko?" I hesitantly asked.

Even I was starting to get worried. It looked like she was having an internal struggle on whether or not to tell me. Tell me _what_?

"Yes, well… you see…" She finally gave in.

And it was a lot to take in.

_It was then that I realized that we never did go beyond strangers._

* * *

_It was our first fight and the last that I would see of her that summer._

"I'm sorry! That was insensitive of me!" That was how I unceremoniously started our conversation.

I apologized again and again with my head bowed lower each time. "I didn't know that Mr. Jin Kirigiri was your father or that he recently passed away."

He died before summer could even start.

"If you want, I could talk to the landlady and borrow his keys." I wanted to at least do something for her.

"There's no need for that." Unlike me, she was taking this surprising well. In fact, _too well._

"Huh? Why not?" I asked incredulously. "Don't you want to at least check if he left anything for you?"

She tiredly sighed. "Jin is not my father. That man has abandoned us long ago." There was the undertone of anger while she said that. "Mr. Kirigiri is just someone whom I coincidentally share the same family name with."

"But still-"

"Like I said earlier. The need was long concluded when I already saw the insides of his home on the first day that I came here." Her voice was now the loudest I've ever heard and it still wasn't even shouting. Yet the effect was still there.

I gulped. "If that's true then did you find anything?"

"Nothing of importance. There was this photo that was out of place but other than that, there was really nothing to take note of." She began composing herself. "To be honest, I'm not really sure what I was expecting to find or if I expected anything to begin with."

There was a long silent pause after that. It was not my position to pry deeper into her private matters so I didn't ask about the photo. However, there was still something else which bothered me and I thought I deserved the right to know at least that much.

"I thought you were waiting for him to come home and open the door."

"I never said that."

"But you said-"

"No, Naegi, _you_ said that." She countered.

"But you didn't say _otherwise_!" I argued.

"Nor did I _confirm_ that."

That went unsurprisingly horrible. It didn't answer anything at all. Maybe it's because I wasn't asking the right question. So I thought that I should finally ask her instead.

"If you already did what you came here for then why do you always stay outside his door?"

For the first time since I've met her, she stiffened. Then it happened. Her normally stoic face completely melted. Whatever mask she usually wore was gone and I believed that this was the first time I was actually seeing her true face. To put in other words, this was the first time I was actually _seeing_ her. It was this brilliant version of her that I would remember for the days after summer.

And it was her words that would haunt me forever.

"For the same reason you'd always find me there."

_Summer had ended earlier than I had wanted._

* * *

_When a stranger leaves, sometimes it hurts more than when a friend does._

We never met after that fight. Sometimes, I wished that we never fought in the first place. But more often than not, I'm thankful that we did fight. If we hadn't then I don't think we would've grown closer. Well, maybe not closer since I lost all contact with her right after. I tried searching for her though but as my luck would have it, she was practically nonexistent. She really did mean it when she said that she cut her ties with her father because I couldn't find any contact detail nor a relative to ask from.

_It was as if I was dreaming all summer._

In some ways, I guess that's a pretty accurate way to sum it up. Having weird yet comfortable conversations with a stranger whom disregarding that one incident, only I knew of. Only I was talking with her, eating with her, laughing with her and it was a real possibility that I had only imagined her in my loneliness.

But then I remember our last time together. Even I couldn't have thought of all that in my head.

_The unknown can also make you hopeful._

I wonder when we'll meet again. That's what I always thought of on my way home. Summer is just around the corner and it would be great if she would show up and tell me that all those memories weren't just me and my imagination. But I guess that's just wishful thinking. Because admittedly, I found something in a stranger last summer. And this time, I wanted to find that stranger instead.

Even though I've been raised to never talk to strangers, I still find myself talking anyways.

_After all, this girl sitting outside my neighbor's door would be considered a stranger._

* * *

**Omake** : NEW HAT

Kirigiri: …

Naegi: I'm sorry!

Kirigiri: …

Naegi: I'm really sorry!

Kirigiri: …

Naegi: Look, I know it was an accident but it's still partly my fault so I'm sorry. Will you just say something? _Anything_?

Kirigiri: …If you have time to apologize then you have time to remove the cup noodles which _accidentally_ found my head.

Naegi: I said I was sorry!

~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What's this? A not so depressing chapter? I never knew it could happen! I hope you noticed the subtle twists. 
> 
> The first part was actually a prelude to the last part.


	6. Finding Truth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "I was always searching for the truth."  
> Set in a universe where they're both childhood friends.  
> Written in Kirigiri's POV.

~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~

_There was no one and nothing to trust but the truth._

That is just simply how I was raised. I understand that it seems cynical but it was a practical ideology. After all, we were detectives. It is not all that glamorous as it is commonly portrayed and it is most certainly nowhere near how dangerous as it is initially seen. It is far more than that. No matter what era, our family has always been that of detectives. We are only few in numbers because of the essential danger the business brings. We were never told of fairy tales or myths but only cases that we were expected to solve and some were even of those murdered in the family.

But I never did complain.

While it was true that I did not lead a normal childhood, it was nonetheless fulfilling if not fun. Acquiring new knowledge from the books, gaining new experience on the field and going home to a warm household. There was plenty of room for me to dream. I had the childish dream of becoming great and worthy of our lineage. I thought for sure that with the wisdom I have learned by heart, it would be enough.

I had once made the mistake of trusting someone.

"Why? Why is mother crying?" I was so young back then.

"Why indeed…" My mother sniffled. She was trying hard to fight the tears. "You're still so young, Kyoko."

"I don't understand." I tilted my small head in confusion.

"You're a detective." She held me close to her chest. I think she thought she was comforting me and not herself. "Try solving it for yourself. Think of it as… your first real case."

"Alright. But please don't cry anymore." Because I really love mother.

She only cried harder.

It took me some time since I was only just about grasping the more complicated things like politics and such. It didn't help that everyone that I asked refused to answer me. It took lots of time and a lot of deciphering of all the hints riddled with other misleading messages. And I did eventually figure it out.

But only two years after her death.

Father… no, _Jin_ left the household for such a petty reason of not wanting to be a part of its tradition. It would have been fine if he only did just that. However, my mother was suffering long before his idiotic beliefs manifested. She was stricken with illness and yet still he just left her alone. My mother still loved that man. Even in her deathbed, she would tenderly call his name. But that still does not change the fact that her condition only worsened once he left. His betrayal imprinted on me.

That is why I have learned my lesson.

"We are detectives. Trust no one and nothing but the truth." My grandfather told me.

_Even if that truth is something unwanted._

* * *

  _The world has fallen into despair._

That is the kind of world that we live in now. There are barely enough people left on this planet. Those who are alive either are dying or are already dead inside. And then there are those who kill themselves. Of course, these are all perfectly sane people. There are others still who are alive but are in despair. They kill and destroy whenever they get the chance and wherever they go. It is the new plague that sweeps up everything in its path. Fear is never an option but rather it is the only choice. Nothing can be saved. There is no hope. That is the reality. This is what governs every country. Despair.

One day into the hellish nightmare and it was already too late. It was a mistake to even let it happen in the first place. And now, one year after, there was still no way of correcting it. Perhaps there was none to begin with. Everyone has given up. All hope was lost the moment the world was drowned in despair. It was much worse than any war dictated in history. There were no distinguished parties fighting for anything specific and yet there were casualties. At least in war, people believed they were fighting for something unlike this.

People didn't even believe anymore.

However, from the comforts of the safe house in a foreign land, I would like to think that I still had some faith left in me. Despair was all in the mind and I kept nothing of it inside mine. While I have recently lost the only person whom I considered family, that was no reason to mourn for long. I have paid my respects already. There was still a person whom I knew still alive. There was nothing left for me to do than to find that person. That was why I decided to return from where I came from. The place that started it all.

This was the country where despair first bloomed… Japan.

My benefactor questioned this. She calls herself Celestia Ludenberg and she's the one responsible for this fort. This was probably one of the best places to be right now. We had supplies and working facilities. Everyone who sought refuge had to first prove themselves worthy of her trust and if you were then you would work for her as a servant in exchange of the security. With this system, Celes was able to manage a small kingdom secluded from civilization and left everyone in it little reason for betrayal. It was not all that easy to amass everything but she told me she never lost a gamble in the process. Looking at everything now, every risk was truly worth it. Although that did not stop her from further gambling. After all, this was still far from her dream kingdom.

Upon my travels, I happened to chance upon this. Fortunately for me, Celes had taken a liking to me. Although I offered my services to her, she thought I was better suited as company rather than as a servant. She said that it was hard to find any intelligent companion who was not too busy trying to overthrow her. I took that as a compliment.

"Are you sure about this?" Celes asked on our last shared cup of tea together.

"Yes. Frankly, I didn't expect you to be so concerned." I answered.

"Always so sharp. Those skills of yours should do you some good in the outside world. Ehehe." She giggled and a smile took place on her lips. Her tone was both mocking and teasing with a dash of sweetness: exactly how she wanted it to sound like. "To be honest, it's not that I would miss _you_ in particular. It's just that you're the only one who could keep the closest thing to a proper conversation around here."

"You speak as if I'm not coming back." I said with a blank face.

"Are you not?" She took a sip of her tea.

"I'm simply visiting a friend. That is all. Perhaps we'll even visit a place while we're at it. After which, I'll come back so we could finally finish our match."

"There's no need. Trust that I will win anyways." Her smile was challenging me.

"You can't say that for sure. Someone told me that I should only trust in the truth."

"Is this from the same friend you're visiting?"

I paused for the shortest of moments. "Not exactly."

We stayed like that until we finished the tea. I enjoyed it very well. This was the closest thing to a proper shelter and I had the pleasure of living here for a good while. I will forever be grateful to her. But I'm afraid these peaceful days will have to end here.

"Thank you… it's been a wonderful stay. However, I believe it is time for me to go."

"Then as a parting gift, would you like to wager on the odds that you'll come back alive?"

Always the gambler until the end. Perhaps this was her wish of having her remembered this way. Alive or not, there was this chance that I would not have the opportunity of tea with her again. I had no reason to refuse her offer. And besides, I too was curious on finding out who would win this time.

_People have a hard time of saying goodbye._

* * *

  _People have an odd timing when they come into your life._

My mother was sick. Back then, I did not understand just how sick she was. I only knew of four kinds of sickness: fever, coughs, colds, and the one my mother had. I believed that if she got plenty of rest and lots of nutritious food, she would get better. My family believed in the doctor, several to be precise. Sometimes, we would visit them and other times they would visit us. However, it seemed to me that they did little difference since there would always be another visit after. I thought doctors could make people feel better but even I grew more worrisome each time. No one told me anything. So I knew absolutely nothing.

But at least someone talked to me.

There was a boy of my age. It seemed he was unplanned company. I overheard his father who was the visiting doctor at the time that he never noticed him sneaking into the car. It seemed like it was unplanned on the boy's part too. He was searching for a toy he thought he had left inside. When the car abruptly started, he hit his head and fell unconscious during the whole trip. And here he was now.

What tremendous luck.

Suffice to say, it was then that they enlisted my help. After all, surely we would find something in common seeing that we were of the same age, right? Unfortunately, I was too busy reading a book back then that I thought could be useful in figuring out my mother's condition.

"Umm… Hi." He shifted his feet. "I'm Makoto. N-nice to m-meet you." He was obviously stuttering out of nervousness.

"I'm Kyoko. It's nice to meet you too." I politely said then returned to my book.

I was not even done with one page when a voice shouted.

"The culprit is you!"

I looked up from my book to find the boy flushed red. However, I was pretty sure that it was not his voice. My eyes searched around just to check but there was no one else near us.

"I'm s-sorry! It was an accident, I swear!" He started confessing. One hand was waving frantically in front while the other deeply dug into his pocket. "The button wasn't pressed on purpose. I didn't mean to disturb you or anything. Sorry!"

I put down my book and stood up. "What's that?"

"Ah, no way! You're gonna laugh at me."

"No, I won't. I just want to see it." I tilted my head, hoping that I could catch a glimpse of it.

"Okay… but only if you don't laugh." He was obviously not fully convinced but it seemed he felt like he had no choice. He pulled out a striking red plastic bow-tie. "This is the toy that got me here in the first place."

"That's the one from the kid's show." I said somewhat in awe.

"It's not a kid's show if the hero is a grownup who got turned into a kid." He was quick to defend.

"What's wrong with calling it that? We're kids anyways."

"Well, you looked like you weren't into… that stuff." He gulped. "Are you?"

Am I?

I took a deep breath. "Once you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth."

We both stared at each other.

"There is only one truth!" We both shouted at the same time while doing the famous pointing pose.

We had a good laugh right after. I think we were laughing so loud because one of the grownups came in to check on us. We were still giggling for a while after. I could not remember when the last time I was this was happy.

"Ha! We even said it at the same time!"

"That was pretty cool." I admitted.

"Yeah, it was cool. That means _we're_ cool!"

His happiness was contagious and I was smiling with him. At that moment, I completely forgot about the book I was reading, about the mystery of my mother's illness and about the seriousness of our family tradition.

I forgot a lot of things because I was having fun.

"Kyoko, we're gonna be great friends." He said with the biggest smile I had ever seen.

_He was my first friend._

* * *

  _It's hard to find something without getting lost._

I was lost in more ways than one. My memories of my homeland had a few unpleasant ones mixed in but I often recall the more wonderful days I have spent here. They were beautiful and filled with Japan's aesthetics and culture. Right now, it was hard to believe that this was the same country. Everything was unrecognizable when compared to my memories.

And yet everything was still familiar.

I have seen all of this before. It was the same dilapidated buildings, same littered corpses, and same putrid air of smoke and hopelessness. It was the same for every country I have visited ever since the despair broke out.

It was sickeningly familiar.

Despair first attacked Japan. It was hard to think that there were any survivors by this point in time. However, my facts had me believed that the person I am looking for was still alive. Fortunately, I stumbled upon another survivor along the way.

"You got lucky that I was out. Otherwise, I'd just might find your corpse tomorrow." He spoke in a loud voice that matched the motorbike's roar.

"I am in your debt." I on the other hand, tried to sound as polite as possible while yelling over the noise.

The man who was assisting me now was named Owada Mondo. His family bore gang leaders and it seemed that he was no different. Although I doubt the current number of underlings were as formidable now as compared before. If I remember correctly from the records, my grandfather once aided his grandparents with a small case. That was a long time ago and rather insignificant to our current situation. It seemed as if only I was aware of this tiny connection. Perhaps I am lucky that he even agreed to help a total stranger in the first place.

"That's all? You fucking crazy bitch. Doing what you like and showing your ass here."

"I was expecting you to be in the area. You proved me right."

"Yeah, well what if I wasn't so fucking conveniently around the area?"

"Then there is a great possibility that I would've died."

"Ya damn right!"

We sped for another half hour while breaking the speed limit, if only there were still law enforces to stop us. It was an… interesting ride for Mondo felt chatty that day and his vocabulary was well… selected. I harbor no ill feelings against him. After all, this was a suicidal idea that he was helping me on.

When we reached a certain point marked by the shambles of Shibuya, he dropped me off.

"This is as far as my turf goes. I ain't gonna be helping you no more!" He yelled. Perhaps he was still trying to discourage me.

"That's more than enough. Thank you, Mondo." I bowed deeply in gratitude.

"Tch. Just get out of there fast."

"I will… after I get my friend."

My investigation has led me here. As I headed to where I deduced he would be, I prepared myself. The last time I saw of him was ten years ago. A lot has happened in that amount of time even before the despair incident. Yes, _something_ must have happened before that. Before all of this. If only that something never happened. This was one of the most frequent thoughts I had. In truth, a million thoughts raced in my head as I ran.

All that soon suddenly stopped.

"I found you."

_There are some things that are better off never found._

* * *

  _There are ways to lose people before they even die._

I first learned of that with my father. I just did not expect that I would have that lesson refreshed so soon. And just when I had made a friend of my age. To make matters worse, I am the guilty party this time. I really did not want to lose any more than I already have. However, this was something I had to do no matter how unpleasant it was.

At least he seemed happy about the news.

"Wow! You're gonna travel around the world. That's amazing, Kyoko!" He practically jumped and cheered in joy.

I frowned. "It's not as if I'll be a tourist or anything like that. This is all part of the training my grandfather will put me through."

"I don't really get what you mean by training but…" He tilted his head. "But you're still going places. Isn't that good enough?"

No, it was hardly a good deal to begin with.

"Next week, huh." He sat down beside me.

"Do you want to come with me, Makoto?" I asked hopefully while hugging myself. It would make all the difference if we were together. "I could try to ask him if you could join us."

He shook his head. "Nah. I think I'll stay here. I mean, even if you do get to convince him, I just can't leave my family alone." He smiled apologetically. "I don't know what I'll do if something happened to them."

"Oh, okay." I said with as much gloom as I had felt.

"Sorry, I'm sad about you leaving. It'll be lonely here with you gone." He moved so that he sat right in front of me. And I could see that he was just as sad as I was but he was still trying his best to smile. "But think of it this way. There's no way I'll be leaving here any time soon so it'll be easier to find me once you get back!"

Sometimes, I wished I was as hopeful as he was.

"If you put it that way…"

"Besides, you already promised me you'd find me."

_He was my best friend._

* * *

  _I was always searching for the truth._

"You finally found me." Makoto smiled.

"No, I finally found the _truth._ " I grimaced. "I've come here to bring you back… just not the way I hoped it to be."

We held each other's gazes for a long while. It looked like he was doing fine and at first glance one would think that nothing was wrong not especially with him. I looked far worse than him. Soon, this peace would end and the dream would finally be broken. That's if you could even call this peace or a dream. And all the hopeful lies that had kept me to get here and stomach the truth would finally crumble. Perhaps it would become so broken that it would be unbearable. I briefly wondered if there would be anything worth of value left after.

In those ten years, we were never the same.

"I see." His voice sounded just like I had imagined it to be. It sounded just like Makoto that I almost thought it was the same Makoto. It was soothingly familiar and he had a sweet tone. "I refuse. This is our most awaited reunion. And I want to spend a lot of time catching up."

"There's no time for that anymore." I said and even though there was still time, it would have been too late.

His smile twitched.

"Look around you. Do you think anyone even bothers anymore?" He opened his arms dramatically as if we had an audience.

"…"

His smile dropped.

And he spoke in a hopeless voice that held a demeaning edge to it. A tone that I did not want to hear from him. "Besides, even if you do turn me in, you can't stop despair. Ha… haha!"

His grin was manic. His laughter was haunting.

And I had no choice but to watch all of this unfold.

"…Am I the reason for all of this?"

"You've got that wrong." He pointed at me as he looked down upon the stupidity of my question. He was clearly mocking me. "You're a detective. Go figure it out for yourself. Then again, I think you already know."

I was fighting hard to maintain my composed look. "Yes, however I just needed to confirm my theory."

It would have been easier if I was the reason.

His eyes sparkled with excitement. Between the two of us, he was enjoying this. "Were you hoping to save me?"

"You've got that wrong." I shot back at him. Without noticing it, my voice was raised and perhaps my blank face finally cracked too. "I already said this before but I only came here to find the truth. It just so happened that you were a part of it."

"And how does it feel to finally find me?" He asked full of sarcasm.

Betrayed. Angry. Sorrowful. Anguished. Fearful. Empty. Defeated.

I felt all kinds of feelings. It was hard to find myself amidst all this. It was in Japan that we first met and it was in Japan where he first created despair. And right now in Japan was where I found him again. This was not the kind of reunion I wanted with my childhood friend. This was not the kind of person I wanted him to grow up to be.

This was not the kind of truth I wanted to find.

It was twisted and sickening. It was the kind that left you nothing to believe in.

And maybe, I even felt just the slightest hint of despair.

"Disappointed." That's all I told him.

_Because at one point, I believed in you._

* * *

  _I don't know what to believe in anymore._

That was what kept me company as I sobbed again and again. I did not know I had so much tears in me, I thought that at one point, I would run dry. But I did not.

I just kept crying.

I cried for hours. I cried for days. I cried for my mother. I cried for a father.

I was helpless as a child. Back then, I only knew how to cry.

"Father is missing while mother is gone now." I sobbed. "Grandfather was right. The only thing I can do now is just find the truth." I looked down, ashamed and accusing. "Even I don't trust you anymore."

Grandfather was still busy. He was too busy to comfort me. The only person who listened to me while I was bawling was Makoto.

"I'm sorry!" And he started crying too. "I'm so sorry, Kyoko!"

I sniffed. "W-what are you apologizing for?"

"Because you're all sad and I can't do anything to help." He cried harder. He genuinely thought that he was at fault. "No wonder you hate me. I'm useless. I can't do anything at all."

"You've got that wrong, Makoto." I held his hand. "Just because I don't trust you doesn't mean I hate you."

I don't know why but I was comforting him instead.

"Really?"

"Yes, really."

It was enough to fill him up with hope again.

"Okay, then let me tell you a secret, Kyoko." His sobs soon subsided and he was smiling again. His eyes were still red though. "My name is Makoto but my mom said it's a special name. That's because it means _truth_."

Truth?

"What I'm trying to say is that since you trust in the truth so much then you can trust in me just as much!" He puffed his chest and gave it a pound. A bit shaky from his earlier outburst, he tried to look as strong as possible.

It was the brightest smile I ever saw on him.

"Don't give in to being sad and find me instead." He reassuringly took my hands in his.

I think I had small smile of my own.

"Just believe in me!"

I had really believed that I had found a friend. He was my first friend. He was my best friend. And I was happy to have him as my friend.

_There was no better friend than the truth._

* * *

**Omake1** : PARTING GIFT

Celes: Take this rose whip with you. It may come in handy when you meet your friend.

Kirigiri: …I believe you're misunderstanding something.

Celes: Oh, am I?

Kirigiri: Just what exactly do you expect me to do with this?

Celes: I expect _many_ things from you. Ehehe.

* * *

**Omake1.5** : WHIP IT

Kirigiri: I've come to bring you back.

Naegi: I see… I refu- OOWWW! What are you doing! Wait, why do you even have a whip?! And with thorns!

Kirigiri: It was a gift.

Naegi: And you've been bringing that with you all along? What kind of- OUCH! I wasn't even finished talking, why did you hit me?

Kirigiri: It looked like fun.

Naegi: You're not even sure if it's fun! Stop it! OUCH! JUST! OUCH! STOP!

Kirigiri: I can't. It came with instructions.

~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The character for Makoto can be translated to truth (one of many translations). I had to search it just to confirm but correct me if I'm mistaken. (And I'll just remove this chapter of lies.) 
> 
> In the last part, Naegi said "being sad". I initially wanted to type in "despair" but he's too young to use that and you catch my drift, right?  
> As for their age in the flashbacks, it's probably 7 or below just not greater than 10 years old. 
> 
> Mastermind!Makoto for anyone out there interested.


	7. Momentary Rest

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Adjusting came so easily, so naturally, that yesterday feels like years ago."  
> Set in a universe where there were peaceful days.  
> Written in Naegi's POV.

~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~

_The best memories are those ordinary instances that become special in time._

Tonight was such a beautiful night. The day was mostly peaceful but the night was just so enticing. From where I was, it was quiet at night. Well, it was true at least outside the workplace. The landscape won't change any time soon which was why I always found myself looking up. When I look up, it's never the same picture. It was always changing.

Tonight was just a testimony to that.

A voice chimed in. "What are you looking at?"

It was Kyoko. I guess she took a break too. Well, I could use the company.

"Hm? Oh, I'm just stargazing." I said in reply.

She looked up as well. "But there's nothing to see. It's all just clouds."

That's right. Tonight, the sky was cloudy.

"I know." I laughed. "Did you know, there's a meteor shower tonight and the five-hour drive countryside has the best visibility for it?"

"Is that so?" She said in a tone laced with only the slightest hint of interest. "Unfortunately, we won't be having the same luxury here."

"This is fine in its own way too." I grinned in contentment.

"How dull." In my peripheral vision, I caught her flipping her hair in sarcasm.

Admittedly, it's not really one of the most amazing sights there is to see. There's literally nothing there and maybe its emptiness was also its allure. But that was just me being poetic or just optimistic again. The meteor shower was an unfortunate loss. Better luck next time then.

_Thankfully though, we still have plenty of nights ahead of us._

"Then next time for sure." I faced her. "When we watch the sky then, I'm sure we'll see something amazing."

"We?" She raised an eyebrow.

"Of course! I'd be happy to drag you into star gazing with me again!" I just smiled ridiculously.

_Hopefully, the stars would be beautiful by then._

* * *

_You don't always remember your dream when you wake up._

The first thing I awoke to was darkness. It was not because it was dark wherever I was but rather I still had my eyes closed. My eyelids were unusually heavy which matched my deadweight body. At least I think I still had my body. I could hear a timed beep every now and then. I'm pretty much sure that the afterlife I've read about didn't have that. Ah, there it was again, that same sharp beep. But even though I had my body, it just wouldn't listen to me. I even tried to scream but no voice left me. It left me being scared. It felt as if I had no control whatsoever.

_It felt as if I were helpless._

The feeling crept inside me and slowly consumed me. How long has it been? Was there anyone out there? What's going on? These questions were the only company I had. And for a while, it seemed as if they would be the only company I'd get.

But I didn't want just any company, I wanted to see my _companions._

Using every ounce of my energy, I focused on at least opening my eyes. And sure enough, they did open. The light that I saw was almost blinding. As tempting as it was to close them again, the fear that they would not open a second time won over.

_This light hurt but I'd always choose it over the dark._

I tried to speak but it came out hoarse and cracked. It was as if my throat had already rusted. "Where… am I?"

"Someone took their time napping." Thankfully, a voice answered me.

_And then I realized that I could actually breathe._

"Kyoko?" I asked, unsure. My eyesight was still adjusting so it was hard to tell.

"Good morning." She calmly replied. And oddly enough, I felt the sensation of a hand on top of mine.

"Good… morning… Ugh, my head's still fuzzy." My senses were coming back to me but all at once was proving too much for me to handle. Not only did my body feel abnormally heavy but now I'm getting a migraine too. "What time is it?"

"You clearly haven't recovered your cognitive functions yet. Aren't you supposed to ask for what day it is instead?" She sighed and although her face was still blurry, I could only assume that she had this pitiful look on her face.

"Am I?" I'm just as confused as she claimed me to be.

"To answer your earlier question, it's four AM to be exact. Although, I still have my doubts as to how helpful this information is."

"Ah… so it really is _morning_. It's plenty helpful… uh, in some way." I bet she thought I was still delirious so answering to that must have been futile.

I guess she's right somehow. All of this still feels surreal. I don't mean anything poetic by that, it's just that this conversation and how my body was just didn't match at all. It was hard to believe. But I was half serious when I said that knowing the time would help. I mean, her being with me at this time of the day is different from her being here at another hour. I'm also thankful that she's a _really_ light sleeper. I think I would've been more panicked than I already am had there been no reply earlier.

_Just as always, I'm thankful for Kyoko._

Talking was a lot harder than it should be. I think she noticed that too. The next thing that happened was that I was being helped with a glass of water. The sensation filled my mouth and it felt foreign in there. I'm used to drinking water so why did feel so weird? And when it came to actually swallowing it, it felt like I was swallowing hard and heavy solid lumps instead. I think I spent twice as much effort and time to take a few sips. It was even painful to a certain extent. But it was necessary. I was dehydrated, at least that's what I felt like.

I never knew how much I liked and hated water at the same time.

"Am I… Where am I?" My voice sounded just a bit louder and smoother thanks to the water.

I wonder if I imagined it but for a moment, her unreadable face cracked. "In the hospital for treatment."

"Treatment? Ah!" My head throbbed in pain. The buzzing in the back of my head had amplified.

I think… I was in the hospital now for a reason. The more I tried to pick my memories, the more the noise inside my head grew louder. In the background, I think I could faintly hear Kyoko's voice trying to calm me down but it didn't matter. She felt so far away right now. Argh! The pain's sharper now. Am I even close to remembering it? Think! Think harder! What was I…

I started shouting.

"Wait! The operation! How did the operation go?!" That's it. I remembered.

Kyoko just stared at me. It was the oddest thing I had ever seen. It took her some effort but I clearly saw it still. Her worried look soon became unfeeling.

But not before flashing hints of pain.

"It went on exactly how everyone expected it to go." I remembered her voice too.

This was her _professional_ voice.

That meant I had to be professional too.

"Does that mean?"

"Yes. It failed."

Had she used another tone, she would have said sorry. I'm not mad that she didn't say that though. We both knew why it had to be said this way.

"…Oh, I see. Then for how long was I out?" Slowly, the words poured out of me.

She blinked. "Five days."

I smiled despite myself. "Then I have to make up for lost time. Where are the others?"

No matter the circumstances then, that smile was genuine. I truly meant what I said.

And to prove my point, I wanted to get out of the bed as soon as possible. But that was when I encountered my first real hurdle since waking up. As I tried to get up, I realized that I couldn't. It's not that I couldn't because my body had fallen asleep, it's just that I couldn't feel anything to begin with. Uneasiness swept all over me. It was a feeling I could live without. There was definitely something wrong with my body. Pouring every bit of my remaining strength, I lifted a hand of mine to pull off the blanket on me.

I only had half of a leg on me.

"I guess I'll have to live with this now." My voice sounded so smooth, I was afraid that it wasn't mine.

This was just another result from the operation's failure.

There's still something positive about this though. "Good thing I've been building my upper body strength for a while." I joked.

Kyoko just shook her head. "This is indeed a lot to take in." Her hand found its way back to mine which was shaking. I was just so taken by the action that I forgot to tell her just how much relieved I was to have her here with me.

She was so warm and soothing and _real_. My eyesight just suddenly began to blur.

Her face softened then. "Makoto, it's okay. We're alone. Nobody's watching. You may… express yourself."

I looked away. As considerate as she was, this was not the time for this. I at least had that excuse. In truth, I didn't want her to see me like this.

It must have been painful for her to just be by my side all this time.

After all, I got myself into a coma. Living every day with the fear of your friend never waking up must have been unbearable. I'm sure that she wanted to cry more than I did. That's why I have to be strong too. Besides, this was not that big of a deal now that I think about it. I could strap on half a prosthetic leg and a crutch, and I'd still be able to walk. Hey, at least I was alive, right? With a newly found resolve, I wiped the tears off my face.

I guess I took off a bit on my own there.

I looked back at her. "Rather than that, could I get a request instead?"

She took few moments to analyze my words first, then she spoke. "That depends. I'll listen either way."

"Thanks for listening. The thing is I don't think I can live on my own at the state I'm in." Which was true but maybe it was unfair of me to take advantage of that. "Consider this as a selfish request from me but this way I have an excuse to have you by my side for the following days." For the _remaining_ days.

I truly am a selfish person.

Kyoko was staring at me for a long while with that unreadable face of hers. She sighed. "It can't be helped."

Was it so wrong of me to be this happy?

"You really are helpless without me." And for the first time since I woke up, I saw a smile on her lips.

I felt like my own smile reached my ears. "At least I'm not hopeless."

_The days after would be hard but I at least have this day to make them easier._

* * *

_Adjusting came so easily, so naturally, that yesterday feels like years ago._

It's been a week since I got out of the hospital after staying three more days there. Kyoko ended up coming with me after all. It looks like we're a young couple or worse, even a married one. But it's not like that between us though. We were friends living together and we weren't looking for anything more than that. Anyways, we're staying at a house on the cliffside for therapeutic reasons. It's what my doctor suggested. Honestly though, the apartment would have been fine. But then again, when I'm out here and the sea breeze comes along, it makes me think that it's worth it.

_That we made the right decision._

"Are you sure you don't need help there?" I heard Kyoko's shout from the corridor.

"I'm doing alright so don't worry!" I yelled back.

I could handle at least this much. Thankfully, cooking was one of those chores that didn't require accurate legwork. I could get by with the wheelchair I was using. Unfortunately, Kyoko was not convinced since rather than focusing on doing the laundry, she kept checking on me every now and then. Well, this was my first time to cook unsupervised after being cooped up in that hospital.

After a while, I heard the sound of footsteps.

Then her voice beside me. "But if there's anything I could help with…"

I guess I'm not cooking alone this time as well. "It'd really help me if you could hand me the spice on top of the cabinet. It's really hard to reach."

"Okay, I got it."

"Oh, and after that please slice the vegetables for the salad since I'll be busy with frying."

Between the two of us, I was the better cook by a _large_ margin. And yet still, she doesn't trust me enough to be alone in the kitchen!

"So, how does it taste?" I asked excitedly when we were eating.

"You already know the answer to that and yet you still ask." To which she said with the most anticlimactic voice.

I huffed in disagreement. "No, I don't! It's totally different when someone else comments on your cooking. So do you like it or not?"

"It's not something I would hate." She said nonchalantly.

I smirked. Well, if she won't talk then I might as well put words into her mouth. "I get it. I'll cook your favorite next time."

"That's not what–"

"Ah! Food definitely tastes the best when newly cooked!" I deliberately cut her off.

She sighed. "You're not listening at all, are you?"

"I am. So are you saying that you _don't_ want me to cook your favorite meal?" I looked at her innocently.

"…That's not it either." She was practically shrinking from embarrassment that even her voice was getting softer. "But if you would… please."

"Hahaha, you should be more honest with yourself, Kyoko."

My favorite time of the day is when we eat together, that's because I'm a big fan of our dining table. When we sit across each other like this, I sometimes forget that she's on an ordinary chair and I'm on a wheelchair.

_Nothing has changed after all since the food still tastes great._

* * *

_Expecting for the worst doesn't make it any easier._

It was my last day on the job before the unscheduled long vacation. I was part of the infiltration team. And I use the word _team_ loosely. Even though we were a group, each member had to work on their own individual assignments. So we all basically still end up working solo. I'm set up to check a number of routes before giving the green signal for the rest to use them.

In a way, I guess I'm kind of what you would call _first blood._

I was down to my last checkup. After sliding down a chute, I arrived at my target location and did some preliminary inspection.

I held out my phone and dialed a number. "Agent Makoto here at Point SDR2. It's rigged. I'm about to perform disabling."

There was the distinct sound of static on the other end until an automated voice replied. "…Transmission confirmed."

With the standard procedure done, I went and disabled every trap that I could find. I started with scouting and immediately hacking surveillance machines with a device I had on me that did just that. Then I proceeded to handling the more life threatening traps. It was basically just the usual of what I always did but that didn't stop me from getting nervous.

This job meant everything to me.

Just the mere thought of failure especially this time left an unwelcome feeling inside me. Right after this job, I could check how much longer I get to live. But that could wait since I needed to focus now. I stretched just so I could clear my mind. After getting back to work, it didn't take while for me to finish it.

So I dialed the same number again. "Agent Makoto here at Point SDR2. Area is now clear for execution."

"…Transmission confirmed." After a long beep, a voice, this time human, responded. "Expect company in approximately 4 minutes. After confirming contact, touch base."

"Roger that." I said and dropped the call afterwards.

It was protocol to stay alert _always._

This was something instilled in every agent during the training. It should be instinctive by now. That's why when I think back to this moment, there really must have been something wrong with me. After all, why else would I have been so careless as to miss one hidden trap? And worse yet, I had to walk straight right into it. My luck never failed me even then.

In hindsight, I knew there was something odd about the slightly loose tile.

Though I didn't have the luxury of time to think about my mistake. The explosion beneath me would leave me unconscious even days after the operation.

I only had one job. And I screwed up.

_The worse has yet to come._

* * *

_When is it appropriate to ask certain things?_

We're now on our second week. It was awkward for the first few days but I think we're already past that by now, at least I hope so. That's why I thought that this was as good as any chance to take another step forward. Two weeks hasn't been that long but it's precisely because I don't have that long left either. So when I found her on one Tuesday morning, leisurely reading a book on our veranda, I thought that the breeze felt so calming, so _right,_ that day that I found myself brimming with confidence.

I finally asked her. "Kyoko, let's go out for a walk."

She closed the book she was reading just then. "If you insist."

To be honest, I've always wanted to go out for a walk but I wasn't sure if Kyoko was okay with it. She'd probably agree anyways but I wouldn't want that if she was still unsure inside. She's a lot more sensitive than she lets on. I think it's an endearing trait of hers. I bet she thought that it would hurt me if she suggested it first.

_That's because a lot of the things that I used to do have all been reduced to sitting._

Instead of standing, I sit. Instead of jumping, I sit. Instead of _walking_ , I sit.

That's why she's been careful all this time when choosing her words and when suggesting things for us to do. I guess what she didn't know was that I too have been just as careful. I understood that she was just trying her best to comfort me while I did my share of not giving her more reasons to worry about.

_Sometimes, it's the injured party who has to be more considerate._

"Lucky! The clouds are blocking the sun so it's not that hot." I exclaimed as soon as we gone out.

"We could've used an umbrella if that were not the case." She said as she walked beside me.

"What are you talking about? It's much more fun when your hands are free!" While I did have the best intentions when I said that, that was still tactless of me.

She winced. "That is… true."

Well even though I did say that, my hands weren't necessarily free. I wanted to _walk._ That meant that I wanted to move my wheelchair on my own. Did I mention that this was the first time I left the house? Working on the wheelchair indoors was so much more different than the outdoors where the ground was uneven and even the tiniest rocks feel like the shortest powerful earthquakes. Naturally, it took a whole lot longer than usual.

_A five minute walk felt like forever._

But that's just me. While I was busy trying to overcome the most insignificant pebbles, I totally forgot about Kyoko. While I was struggling all this time, she was doing _nothing_. It must have been agonizing just watching me and feel absolutely helpless. Whenever I chanced a glance at her, all I saw was a hesitant hand. She wants to help but she's unsure on whether or not it's what I want. This walk has been relaxing only to me.

I guess that was insensitive of me.

"I'm hungry!" I burst out all of a sudden. "Let's go back."

She looked at me incredulously. "Huh? But we haven't gotten that far yet." True enough, it's not even remotely far unless you can't see where you came from. Yet we could still see the house from here.

"This is plenty enough exercise."

"Tired already?" She jabbed at me.

"Didn't you hear me earlier? Hunger is the ultimate motivation." I declared so myself. It was the reason that overrides all logical thought.

It was also a good enough excuse.

Timidly, I called her out. "Also, Kyoko?"

"Yes?"

It was still a bit embarrassing for me to say this so I looked away. "It's uphill on the way back. Maybe… you could help?"

Please don't let me die of embarrassment before she answers.

"I was getting tired myself." I could hear the smile in her voice, or was it a smirk? "It took you a while to finally ask."

And when I felt my wheelchair move, I realized that those unsure hands from before were not so hesitant anymore. While the first part of the walk had me filled with self-esteem, the way back was not so bad either. Having someone to rely on was a great feeling to have and I treasure it preciously. The support I got from Kyoko pushing my wheelchair from behind was my favorite part of the walk.

_It was just as comforting as actually holding hands._

* * *

_When you have nothing else to lose, doesn't that make you want to change all the more?_

One month later and I had a prosthetic leg attached to what was left of my right leg. After I have adjusted, they'll supposedly attach a whole left leg on me. Right now, I just don't see that happening. After getting used to being reduced, this new appendage just seems out of place. I can see that it's there, I just don't _feel_ that it's there. It's like another piece of clothing was just strapped on. The extra weight felt real though.

_More than that, it felt just like another burden weighing down on me._

I felt like I was always like this. It's only been short but I've grown so accustomed to how I am right now that I've stopped thinking about how I did things before. It scared me when I realized that I had already forgotten what having working legs felt like or even just the weight of one.

_Just the thought of forgetting was frightening enough._

However, just like last time, I've adapted. Trying to walk with the new leg and a crutch kept me busy these past few days. With my other arm, I either leaned on Kyoko or on the walls for support. I know it's not much but I'm making progress. But what I like the most now is that I could actually stand. While it's true that I wasn't that tall to begin with, sitting down all the time isn't all that great.

_It's as if everything was looking down on me._

Everything looks so much more intimidating when you're only mode of transit is a chair with wheels that could easily topple over. It's a good thing that I have only been in contact with Kyoko and the doctor. I don't think I could handle other people and their pitiful stares.

If I saw Kyoko with that look on, it would probably hurt me more.

That's why I decided to practice by myself while she was out to get some groceries. After all, what's the worst that could happen, right?

But I forgot how I was my own worst enemy.

_I hate being left alone._

No matter how often it happens, I would never get used to it. I wanted, no, desperately _needed_ someone, _anyone._ Because when you're weak, the last thing you want is to be alone. That's the most dangerous situation you could get yourself into. Alone meant no one to talk to which equates to no distractions. Your mind would have a lot of free time to think.

_The thoughts that would come were merciless._

Negative thoughts, regrets, unfulfilled dreams, the list goes on forever. And it's the thoughts that you most wouldn't want to think about that keep coming back to haunt you. Time passes ever so slowly so by the time that a minute passes, you've already thought about 10 years' worth of horror.

I was an exception to this.

Or so I was.

I am what people would describe as _ridiculously_ hopeful. Some would even go so far as to say that I am the master at it. I admit, I am a positive thinker. But…

_The operation failed._

I punched the wall.

There's not much time left now. And here I am, bringing Kyoko down with me, guilt-tripping her to stay with me. I am despicable, right?

I punched harder.

My vision was getting blurrier by the second as I vented out all my frustrations on the poor undeserving wall. I hated what I got myself into. I hated how I acted. And I hated how helpless I really was.

I wanted to punch myself just as hard as I was punching right now.

"Makoto?" That's when Kyoko suddenly entered the room.

_It felt like forever since the last time I saw eye to eye with her like this._

Although if I had to choose, I wish it wasn't at this moment. In this moment of weakness of mine.

"Kyo…ko." My strength left me and I crumpled onto the floor.

"Makoto!" Dropping all the bags, she rushed straight toward me.

This was it. She'd stare at me like some pitiful kid and say something unnecessary like _it's fine_. Her hands were on my face, forcing me to look at her, but I didn't give in. I didn't want to see her face right now. I heard her sigh and gently, maybe even awkwardly, she hugged me.

And I heard the most comforting words ever.

"Even when everything is not fine, I will always be here." She whispered as she tightened the embrace.

_How could I not cry to that?_

"I'm… sorry." I managed to choke out. And it felt like it wasn't enough so I kept saying it. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry."

I wanted to apologize until I couldn't anymore. And then apologize some more.

_Sometimes, even the strongest person breaks down._

* * *

_Normal is always a good thing._

After that _incident_ , Kyoko and I talked it out and I even got scolded for a bit. Oddly enough though, it still comforted me even then. With that filed into yesterday, we've moved on. I'm somewhat used to the crutch now and it seems as if everything has gone back to normal.

Well, normal was subjective, right?

"I said I was sorry!" I earnestly begged her.

"And how is that working out for you?" She coldly replied.

Let me explain. While trying to support me on the crutches like usual, I accidentally elbowed her instead. It was more powerful than I thought since she got a nosebleed right after. So now she's in the bathroom, treating herself and refusing my offers to help. Not that I blame her of course.

"Has the bleeding stopped?" I asked as I knocked from outside the door. I had already helped myself to the wheelchair earlier.

"Yeah. So could you wait for me in the living room?" I heard from inside.

"Sure, but it'd take a whole lot off my chest if I saw you okay now."

"I'd rather you not see me like this."

I blinked. "That's it? Come on, I've seen you in _worse_." As in _way_ worse.

She answered back. "You're clearly missing the point. That was at work."

"I don't really have a say in this, do I?" My face scrunched up right before sighing. "I got it. I'll see you in a few."

It's true that I did say I'd wait for her here but for how long? I needed something to kill time. The television was out of the question. We made it a point not to read newspapers, watch the news or go online. We needed to take our minds off those things. I think there were some board games around here so I went and rummaged through the drawers.

Hopefully, I'd find something.

Minutes later, she finally decided to join me. "Shall we continue where we left off?"

"Nah, maybe later. I'm already invested in this." I replied, never taking my eyes off what I was doing.

"You're playing Jenga on your own?" She asked.

"Is there any other way to play Jenga?" I casually answered.

It took one full second before I felt her hand pat me on the shoulder which made me look up at her. The look she gave me and the events that followed confirmed something for me.

My whole life was a lie.

"I can't believe I've been doing it wrong the whole time!" My face had disbelief written all over it.

"Well, I wouldn't call it wrong per se but rather… solitary." She said sympathetically. She eventually joined me and showed me the right way of playing which was with the company of others.

The gears inside my head clicked into place. "Wait, I just realized something." I slammed my hands on the handles of my wheelchair. This was the closest action to standing that I could do. "My sister knew all along! And she never told me! Ack! Now that I look back, those weird glances she gave me were all suspicious!" I ranted.

"It's no use dwelling over the past." She chided me like a responsible adult did to a raving child.

"But it's still embarrassing!" I yelled in shame.

"I think it's worth the embarrassment." She chuckled and with that, she finished her turn. "You're making such a cute face. _Adorable_ even."

The tower fell apart at my hands.

"N-no fair! Saying something like that all of a sudden!" I stuttered and I could imagine my face already becoming red. It was hard to stay calm after what she said.

"It was a joke." She chuckled some more. So it really was a joke?

I shouted. "Either way is bad. You're horrible, Kyoko!"

"At least I'm just horrible. You, however, lost." She giggled in victory.

Arguing with her was useless. Her logic was always sound. I still wished she wasn't having that much fun teasing me sometimes. I might actually die of embarrassment. But the Jenga that we played that day was really different than from all the previous games I've played. It was so much more fun.

_There really are some games best played with others._

* * *

_The best moments are those you least expect._

A month and a half since the operation and things couldn't have been better. With so much free time on my hands and the much needed support, I was able to practice a lot with the crutches. In fact, I got so good at it that I'm now using a cane instead, with of course, the occasional help from Kyoko. This did earn me some praise from her but hearing it from someone else left me accomplished.

I never knew how great it felt to show off until it happened.

"Yo! Naegichi! The fortunes are aligned for us to meet again." That familiar rustic voice yelled.

"'Sup! Naegi! Got anything to eat with you?" Another joined right after.

"Hey, Makoto! It's been so long." A cheerful voice chimed.

"Remind me again why I must meet with the plebeian?" And then there's that one that's unlike the others.

_For the first time in ages, there were guests in the house._

And for the first time in a month and a half, I reunited with my companions whom I all consider to be dear friends. They were actually here. I thought that since the operation failed, they wouldn't even see me but I'm happy to be wrong this time. I never realized just how much I actually missed all of them until I saw their faces just now. Even Kyoko seemed relieved and even elated at the surprise visit. She looked as if she was enjoying herself. It was incredible how our house suddenly transformed into a louder and a whole lot livelier home with their visit but more than that, it's now more complete.

_It just felt like we all belonged together like this._

Being together again like this made me forget about all the worries and the problems that I had. I even completely forgot about my condition. But it wasn't all about forgetting. It was nostalgic to be around them. I kept remembering all those memories I've had with them, whether good or bad, they're all very precious to me. Just like how this day would soon turn into another memory. I wanted to treasure this wonderful feeling for as long as I could remember it. And as we continued to bond even if only for just today, I could only feel happiness bubble from me.

I never felt this content with my life since the operation.

_I wish these peaceful days would last forever._

* * *

_All emergency news are bad news._

"Attention! This is a DESPAIR advisory! Attention!"

Every screen and monitor had the same logo flashed with the same eerie and somewhat inhuman voice screeching from it. It was more inhumane than inhuman though.

"Did that get your attention? Weeeeell, it's not like anyone cares, right? On behalf of the organization that's been dedicating all their time and efforts to make every second of your pathetic lives miserable, I have some veeeeery exciting news for you all!" The sound effects were like taken from a game show. It sounded so lively that it actually made it all the more sickening.

"It's been a great time spending all those years in despair with you all so we thought that you _deserve_ some sort of reward. Isn't that right?" Pre-recorded cheers and applause resounded.

"That's what we thought. But you've all been so kind to us by _easily_ breaking down, giving up and giving in to the despair that we thought that not just any gift would do. Nooooo, it has to be _special._ Spectaculaaaar!" The crowd became wilder.

"This time, we've all taken the kindness in our hearts to decide for you your special day!" A climactic drum roll thudded. "That's riiiiight! Mark your calendars because D-day has already been set! Hurray! Bring out the booze and _celebrate_!"

"Ah, but don't drink too much. We don't want you to die before it all ends. That's no fuuuuun." Right on cue, laughter broke out.

"In exactly 36 hours, we'll be _executing_ the plan that would ultimately lead to synchronizing all of the satellites to coooooome back home in 2 months! Because we all miss them soooo much!" A collective _aww_ was heard.

"Don't worry if you think you'll be unlucky enough to not welcome them back. You see, we even took it to the extra mile and determined the coordinates for every satellite. And there's like 12,475 of them and it'd be a total waste if they just bumped into each other halfway. That way, everyone gets the chance to greet at least one, so noooo fighting!" Clapping ensued.

"I know, we're too kind. But that's not aaaaall!" The voice cackled. "For those who plan to hide inside their safety bunkers, the ones that are supposedly to be warhead-proof? We made sure that the satellites are _well-equipped_ to do wooooonders!" The studio audience _ooh-_ ed.

"That's all. We wish you all the best of memories until then which is why from the moment of activation, we will suspend all despair-inducing activities. And do you know whyyyyy?" The voice chortled and suddenly all the other noise was drowned out. "You'll be despairing on your own. Just knowing the inevitable end will kill you _inside_. To watch you all panic over the little remaining time will be the climax of this despair!"

"There's so much more to say but sadly, we're ouuuuut of time! Such a shame but that's all for _now._ " In the most preppy voice, one would even say mocking, the final word was dropped. "DESPAAAAIR!"

And that's when all hell broke loose all over again.

"We've been monitoring the situation and gathered as much allies and information the time allowed. It's been 9 hours since the announcement came and we've planned enough for our countermeasure." Our leader broadcasted.

The tension in the room was palpable.

"We've been fighting despair for years now. And the struggle is far from over. However!" His voice boomed. "That's no excuse for us to slack off. You all saw that announcement. You all saw how they mocked us."

"I tell you this. We are not helpless!" One by one, those who had their heads bowed out of shame started to take pride in themselves.

They were being filled with not just confidence but also _hope._

"Even though we're against the same enemy, we're all fighting for our own personal reasons. Don't let them look down on us and our reasons!"

"This isn't just for humanity… not for millions of faces we don't know." By now, everyone was already standing proud and ready. He only needed to utter the words. But he shouted them instead. "More importantly, this is for our loved ones! For the people who do matter! And for ourselves!"

The room was loud in agreement.

"This _operation_ must not fail at all costs!" He shouted and everyone else joined in.

This was a tumultuous moment in the history of our organization. Never before had we felt our bonds to be as strong as this. We were prepared to face anything. We were practically brimming with determination. It was not happiness that overflowed from us on that they, it was hope. And as for hopes, we were the most hopeful yet.

_But it still failed in the end though._

* * *

_It took a while but we finally saw the sky we both wished for in our memories._

Unfortunately though, it was no meteor shower. It was not something as magical as that. These were satellites that were raining on us. These were the foreign objects that were about to kill us. They were the imminent threats, the inescapable deaths, and they littered the skies as we just gaze on. These were death sentences.

But from our point of view, they were no different from shooting stars.

As terrifying as they were, they were just as beautiful.

"At least the last thing we'll see isn't too graphic." I awkwardly joked. "To be honest, I thought I'd die on the job."

"Aren't you lucky that you didn't though?" She joked back.

"I guess I really am."

And we fell back into a comfortable silence.

We just watched as _stars_ streaked the nightsky and disappeared just as soon as they appeared. They were ever fleeting. And even though it was already night, it was unsurprisingly bright. There were just too many, almost simultaneously, that they lit up the sky.

_It won't be too long before they light up the ground too._

"Thank you."

To my surprise, it was Kyoko who spoke first this time.

"I'm happy to have spent these last few days with you, Makoto." She spoke as if these were her final words. And I wasn't too happy to hear them. I just wasn't _ready_ for them. "I could not ask for a better friend to accompany me."

Looking at our hands held together like that gave me a sense of urgency. I guess it's just about time we say goodbye.

"Normally, I'd say, _you're welcome,_ but I think you forgot that it was _me_ who asked you stay by my side." I would try my best to at least not cry until the end. I promised myself that I would smile until the last moment. "So thanks too, anyways."

"How disappointing." She sighed and I could feel all the tension leave her in that one breath. "I at least wanted my last moment to be thankful to you but apparently, you had other plans."

"Well, to be honest, owing you wasn't exactly on my to-do list before I die." I chuckled.

"Look at us. Aren't we too happy?" She asked in all seriousness.

"Don't we deserve to be at least this happy?" I answered seriously too.

We both knew the answer to that question.

"I wanted to play another round of Jenga." I started.

"I wanted to eat my favorite dish again." She seconded.

And then we both burst into laughter.

"If it makes you feel any better, if there ever is an afterlife, let's meet up there." I smiled one last time, it was my brightest smile ever.

"Okay. See you later?" She smiled back.

"Yeah, see you later." It was also her brightest smile ever.

There was a flash of blinding light and a loud thunderous boom followed. It was only then that I felt the indescribable terror sink in. Blinded and deafened, I felt so alone at that point. It scared me. But I wasn't dead yet. The dead don't feel. And yet, I still felt my hand clutching hers. We were both still here even if only for a few moments more. And we would both go together. But at that time, all I could think about was how nice her hand felt in mine.

And for the briefest of moments, I sincerely wanted to live.

_The sky was most beautiful on the night that the world ended._

* * *

**Omake** : HOT WHEELS

Kirigiri: Ah, Makoto. Could you hold this for me?

Naegi: Sure, no problem.

Kirigiri: And I'd be happy if you would accompany me to the laundry room.

~xoxo~xoxo~

Kirigiri: Makoto, there you are. Would you be so kind as to handle these boxes?

Naegi: Yeah, sure thing.

Kirigiri: Help me place those in the kitchen.

~xoxo~xoxo~

Kirigiri: Makoto. I need you to hold this for a while.

Naegi: Uh, sure?

Kirigiri: Thanks, now get to the living room.

~xoxo~xoxo~

Naegi: It feels as if ever since we moved in, I've been demoted to the human trolley.

Kirigiri: Ah, so you noticed.

Naegi: How couldn't I?!

~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~~xoxo~xoxo~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you compare my wording of where the universe is set with that of Chapter 3 then you'd clearly see that I have a way with twisting words.
> 
>  
> 
> **IMPORTANT NOTE:** Chapter 8-9 are posted together as a _separate_ fic entitled **Broken Spirits**

**Author's Note:**

> For MakotoxMukuro, please refer to my other series fic: **She Breathes**


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